OCHA Situation Report No. 7
Mozambique: Floods
22 February 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

HIGHLIGHTS

- Estimates of displaced people: 120.791

- Estimates of people in accommodation centres: 70.925

- Estimates of people in resettlement centres: 49.866

- Cahora Bassa dam discharge rate: decreased to 3,300 m3/s as of 20 
February 2007

- Water levels: Over the next 24 hours, water levels will not show 
pronounced changes, despite the rain in the southern, central and 
northern regions of Mozambique, as well as in Malawi.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

1. Tropical Cyclone Flavio is expected to reach the Mozambican coast in 
the southern province of Inhambane today 21 February 2007 before passing 
close to the city of Beira. At 8 am, the cyclone was 1100 km away from 
Maputo capital city and was moving towards Inhambane at a speed of 16 
Km/h. The cyclone will affect several districts of Inhambane, Sofala and 
Gaza, in the south of Mozambique. The 2006/7 Contigency Plan of the INGC 
provides projected figures for the population at risk. The total number 
of people at risk is 89,390 of which 77,596 in Inhambane Province and 
11,794 in Sofala Province.

RESPONSE

2. As part of the contingency plan to deal with cyclone Favio, the 
Mozambican Army has already deployed 210 soldiers in the risky areas of 
the Southern provinces.

3.  INGC opened a new accommodation centre in Chinde, Zambezia province 
with 2.113 people. Part of this population was rescued from isolated 
areas along the Zambezi River.

4. Government authorities in Morrumbala District decided to buy cereals 
locally to cope with the lack of food in the accommodation centres. 
About 8000 people are accommodated in these centres.

5. Action Aid made USD 160 000 available to INGC in Zambezia for the 
relief operations.

6. Among others, Save the Children Alliance delivered 100 latrine tiles 
to INGC in Mopeia for use in accommodation centres in the districts. 
They also purchased plastic sheeting for distribution to camps in Mopeia 
to assist with shelter construction and latrines. Large tents were 
handed over to the authorities in Caia to accommodate 2000 people in the 
camps, and 1500 school kits and sports material were distributed in 
camps in Tambara.

7. In Mutarara, Mozambique Red Cross (CVM) distributed 114 tents, 70 
bednets and 61 capulanas, a traditional wrapping cloth widely used by 
women.

8. In Cahora Bassa District, World Vision distributed 35 tons of food.

9. UNICEF team based in Mutarara, Tete, reports that access to adequate 
sanitation is a major concern in the district, particularly in 
Inhangoma, a place that can only be reached by boat or helicopter.

10. In Caia, more than 120 children received Vitamin A supplement and 
over 490 got de-worming treatment (up to 20th Feb). The treatment was 
administered during the assessment of nutritional status of children 
conducted by local health authorities with the support of UNICEF.

11. Additional 500 jerry cans, 660 latrine slabs, 1,000 soap bars and 
500 buckets arrived in Mopeia from Caia on 19 February. UNICEF team is 
working with INGC and other partners to ensure appropriate and timely 
distribution.

12. Over 50 activists from the District Directorate of Health, Food for 
the Hungry International and the Mozambican Red Cross will take over 
hygiene promotion activities in Caia, Sofala.

13. Videos on cholera and HIV/Aids prevention, good hygiene and 
sanitation practices are being projected since Monday in accommodation 
centres indicated by INGC, in Caia. Further to this, Community Theater 
groups will conduct 15 days of interactive performances related to the 
above mentioned issues.

14. Large tents are being set in Caia to serve as temporary schools. 
Another one is already in Chupangam for the same purpose. Five thousand 
school kits arrived in Mopeia from Caia on 19 February. Organizations 
are liaising with the INGC to monitor and address the outstanding supply 
requirements in education.

15. Telecoms Sans Frontiers (TSF) established connectivity in Mutarara 
on 19 February. Another TSF technician is arriving today to assist 
partners in telecommunications.

16. Jacana, a Maputo based NGO is mapping all non-food items deployed 
for the emergency response. UNICEF is coordinating with Jacana to make 
use of this wider resource base.

17. WFP is installing 7 large portable storage units in Caia, two of 
which are expected to be allocated to other agencies.

18. There are concerns over basic hygiene, sanitation and water born 
diseases. To better tackle this, eight members of the Health Cluster are 
on a needs assessment mission in Manica, Sofala, Tete and Zambezia. 
According to a report by this cluster, communities in the affected areas 
seek more support in basic hygiene and sanitation, and local 
epidemiological surveillance should be reinforced. To avoid diseases 
like cholera or malaria, there is need to reinforce information on 
hygiene and preventive measures among local communities. Ministry of 
Health and WHO country office specialists are part of the needs 
assessment team, assisted by an expert from the WHO sub-regional health 
office, based in Johannesburg. So far, WHO country office has dedicated 
$50,000 from its budget to support this operation.

19. Through the Health Cluster, UNFPA is providing 4,000 female hygiene 
kits worth $60.000 received from the organizations Humanitarian Response 
Unit in New York. In the Protection Cluster, UNFPA is providing rape 
kits and sensitization of accommodation centre personnel, police & 
military in action against gender based violence.

20. INGC developed a coordination matrix that allows partners to map 
where and in which areas each is working. With this matrix, gaps in 
implementation and distribution of supplies will be highlighted. UNICEF 
supported INGC to develop this matrix.

21. Cluster heads will be meeting this afternoon with INGC teams in 
Maputo as part of the preliminary steps for planning the post emergency 
phase. Two Early Recovery specialists from UNDP are arriving to assist 
in this exercise.

22. In Zambezia province, the Government has set up a team to start 
working on the resettlement plan. The first draft should come out by 10 
March 2007.

COORDINATION

23. A coordination meeting was held today at INGC with the Cluster 
Leads. Chaired by INGC Deputy Director, the purpose of the meeting was 
to introduce the cluster approach to the Government. The cluster 
approach is an international humanitarian response to address 
fragmentation, duplication and lack of information flow among emergency 
stakeholders. The cluster approach integrates UN agencies and NGOs that 
are part of the humanitarian community to support the Government of 
Mozambique in effective response to disasters.


Contact Details:

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

UN Resident Coordinator (Mozambique)
  Mr. Ndolamb Ngokwey
   Tel: + 258-21-485-158

OCHA Regional Office for Southern Africa (South Africa)
  Mr. Jean-Luc Tonglet
   Tel: + 27-11-517-1595

Desk Officer (New York)
  Ms. Mette Tangen
   Tel: + 1-917-367-3001

Press contact:
  GVA - Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, Tel. +41-22-917 2653
  NYC - Ms. Stephanie Bunker, Tel:  +1-917-367-5126

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