OCHA Situation Report No. 11
Mozambique: Floods
7 March 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Prepared by the UN Resident Coordinator Emergency Communication Team

SITUATION OVERVIEW

1. The Ministry of Agriculture's Technical Secretariat for Food Security 
and Nutrition (SETSAN) made available its Post-Floods/Drought/Cyclone 
Action Plan. This preliminary plan, which will be confirmed after more 
in-depth assessments in mid-March, states that the three natural 
disasters that have hit Mozambique in the past few months have destroyed 
277,000 hectares of crops and affected nearly 1.1 million people. Of 
this number, 750,000 are in need of assistance:

- 285,000 people in the flooded Zambezi River valley need food and 
agricultural implements for a period of four months due to loss of food 
reserves and first season crops;

- 280,000 people in the drought-ravaged South need food assistance until 
the next primary agricultural harvest in April 2008;

- 183,000 people in the cyclone disaster area will need food assistance 
for a period of four months as households may only benefit from a second 
season harvest in June-July if replanting begins in March-April.

2. Reduced rains and controlled Cahora Bassa-dam discharges have caused 
water levels to continue to decrease overall, but the Zambezi river 
remains above alert levels in Mutarara, Caia and Marromeu.

3. On Monday 05 March 2007 the Prime Minister of Mozambique, Luisa Dias 
Diogo, launched the Government's Preliminary Plan for Post-Disaster 
Reconstruction. The US $ 71 million recovery and reconstruction plan 
emphasizes on the resettlement of people, the reactivation of 
agricultural production, water supplies and roads, health and 
educational support, the reconstruction of public infrastructure and 
rapid recovery support to the private sector. Emergency food assistance 
will remain necessary at least until the second harvest later this year.

EDUCATION CLUSTER

4. The Education cluster partners continue to monitor access to 
education in the affected areas. Provision of tents to serve as 
temporary learning facilities to replace damaged schools or as annexes 
to community schools receiving displaced children and the provision of 
school kits, learners' kits and teachers' kits of education and 
recreation materials for use in accommodation centres and schools 
affected by the floods is on-going, with almost all areas now being 
reached. Teachers have been mobilized to schools in need and district 
and provincial education authorities are being supported, through the 
existing Gender Units and School Councils, to mobilize parents and 
caregivers in the accommodation centres to send their children, 
particularly the girls, to local schools.

NUTRITION CLUSTER

5. The nutrition cluster is supporting nutrition surveillance and 
monitoring, the establishment of supplementary feeding interventions in 
flood affected areas, including the provision of supplies and technical 
assistance for supplementary and therapeutic feeding and organizing 
nutrition education activities by trained activists in affected areas, 
including the promotion of breast-feeding and appropriate infant and 
young child feeding. Coordination has been effective in terms of 
ensuring geographical coverage and avoiding duplication of efforts.

SHELTER CLUSTER

6. In the flood areas the Mozambican Red Cross (CVM) and the 
International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) have scaled back their 
planned numbers of shelter kits to be provided from 20,000 to 17,000 
families, due to operational limitations. A further 8,000 families 
affected by the cyclone will also be assisted.

7. A joint assessment with Ministry of Women and Social Action (MMAS) 
has been conducted in camps in Zambezia to identify all the orphaned and 
vulnerable children (OVC) and their needs in the temporary centres. The 
cluster will respond with a delivery of kits to those in need of basic 
supplies from the 5th of March 2007. Similar assessments have been 
carried out in accommodation centres in other affected provinces by 
MMAS. UNICEF is also supplying basic emergency kits and recreation kits 
through Protection Cluster efforts.

FOOD SECURITY CLUSTER

8. So far, 120 metric tons of maize, maize meal, rice and pulses were 
distributed to 8,930 people affected by the cyclone in the provinces of 
Inhassoro, Govuro and on Benguera Island. Additionally, the INGC has 
distributed food from its own stocks to around 3,400 people in 
Vilanculos. Under the supervision of WFP and district authorities 50 
metric tons of food were distributed in Machanga because the warehouse 
was damaged by the storm.

9. By 04 March, WFP and its partners had distributed 475 metric tons of 
cereals, pulses and oil to 97,361 people in the flood-affected areas of 
around the Zambezi-river. The food distribution is sometimes slowed down 
by supply interruptions and accessibility of centres.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS CLUSTER

10. The Swedish Rescue Services (SRSA) has provided two 
telecommunications experts through WFP in the Caia area. A Minimum of 
Security Standards (MOSS)-compliant radio-room was deployed in both Caia 
and Vilanculos to fulfill voice security communications requirements in 
the Caia area, including VHF network and power back-up systems. Staff 
requirements to establish and operate the Emergency Telecommunications 
Cluster (ETC) include a telecommunication specialist, four 
radio-operators and a radio-trainer.

11. A Telecom Sans Frontier (TSF) technician with portable satellite 
internet terminal arrived at Caia to provide basic Internet services and 
data connectivity to the humanitarian community. No further needs were 
reported by UNICEF's recent assessment mission for common data 
connectivity services in Vilanculos area, as these services were not 
affected.

LOGISTICS CLUSTER

Transport

12. A logistics assessment mission is currently in Beira and Caia to 
look at possible logistics needs. Preliminary reports show no major 
concerns. A commodity tracking report from forward hubs to final 
delivery points via the common transport services will be issued this 
week, to further improve the service provided by this cluster.

13. All transport assets are tasked according to priorities set by a 
daily INGC coordination meeting, and are available to all humanitarian 
actors. The cargo allocation / transport plan is coordinated by the 
Logistics Cluster in Caia in conjunction with INGC. Common transport 
service assets are available for all humanitarian actors and lists as 
follows:

- One Barge (40 metric tons) available on the Zambezi river, expected to 
be operational from Caia as of Wednesday 7 March 2007;

- Four small boats (1.6 metric tons to three metric tons) to accompany 
the barge, expected to be operational from Caia as of Saturday 10 March 
2007. These boats will be able to deliver aid to locations where the 
barge cannot go. Depending on requirements, it is likely that the barge 
will tow one or two of these boats when it goes up stream and use the 
barge as a staging platform to carry out deliveries in the most 
inaccessible upstream locations;

- Thirteen trucks (three 4x4 trucks, 10 2x4 off road trucks, all with 
capacity of 10 metric tons, eight operational from Caia, five arriving 
from Beira;

- Two United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) helicopters with 
approximately two metric tons capacity and the other operational from 
Beira, one from Caia. The schedule is done on a 48 hour planning cycle;

- One United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) Caravan aircraft 
carrying a maximum of eight persons operating daily between Beira and 
Caia, but also available for assessment overflights;

- Two South African Government Oryx-helicopters, initially deployed for 
one month, operated by UNHAS on a six days a week schedule, operational 
from Caia as of Wednesday 07 March 2007;

- One South African Government four seater-helicopter for assessment 
missions, operational from Caia as of Wednesday 07 March 2007;

- One INGC helicopter for assessment missions.

PROTECTION CLUSTER

14. Save the Children Alliance, UNICEF and cluster partners have carried 
out substantial child protection training in the accommodation centres 
for senior personnel, members of Government and other organizations in 
all four provinces. The training has focused on protection against 
sexual abuse and exploitation of women and children as well as on 
psycho-social support to the most vulnerable population. Further 
training for humanitarian workers and activists are planned for the 
following days. Household basic emergency kits, recreational kits, 
clothing and blankets are also being provided with the aim of reaching 
all children and women in the accommodation centres. Monitoring of the 
situation of women and children is on-going.

15. UNFPA, in close coordination with NAFEZA and DPMAS, organized three 
workshops on gender, gender based violence and HIV/AIDS in Ndambuenda, 
Mikaula and Ngulangane, reaching around 1200 families.

HEALTH CLUSTER

16. WHO and its partners have made bed nets available in most of the 
Zambezi area. However, distribution has been delayed due to logistical 
constraints.

17. UNFPA has locally procured contents for 4,000 hygiene (dignity) kits 
to be organized and distributed through local partners in the Zambezi 
area. Over the weekend, around 1,000 Dignity kits were distributed in 
Mikaula and Ngulangule.

18. After focus group meetings in the accommodation centers a decision 
will be taken on the suggested minimum age for distribution of condoms 
(available through USAID/CNCS). Kits including condoms would carry a red 
ribbon for those over a certain age.

19. Cluster partners conducted home based care visits, sentisation 
meetings and training in HIV/AIDS community activism in the Mutarara 
district. HIV/AIDS prevention and sensitization remains a priority for 
all accommodation centres in the Zambezi area.

WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE CLUSTER

20. According to Ministry of Health officials there is a need for 
additional latrines in accommodation centres in the Mutarara district. 
The IRD conducted four mobilization meetings to build latrines in 
centres in Bawe, Cassambala, Mapulango and Tchetcha. WASH Cluster 
partners and the Ministry of Public Works are working to accelerate the 
construction of latrines; water and sanitation supplies are available 
but access to some areas is still very constrained. In Mopeia, 
provincial authorities are considering a plan to implement food for 
latrines in order to encourage people to construct latrines at the 
accommodation centre.

COORDINATION

21. Officials in the Tete province have demarcated 400 plots for 
resettlement purposes and are identifying other areas that are not at 
risk of flooding. Two more resettlement areas in Caia and Chupanga in 
the Sofala province have been identified.

22. The INGC has started to hand over the program to the provincial 
directors responsible for the respective sectors. Continuous monitoring 
of registration of people is needed to avoid overcrowding in 
accommodation centres and minimize educational, logistical, shelter and 
health constraints. Emphasis should be on people greatly affected by the 
disasters.

23. Due to the increased air traffic around Caia, two inspectors from 
Civil Aviation will be controlling air traffic in that area.

24. On Friday 02 March 2007 OCHA convened a meeting with NGO-partners to 
get feedback on the implementation of the cluster approach and to 
consolidate cooperation with the United Nations system in Mozambique. 
Certain NGOs expressed concern over their involvement in the response. 
Harmonized guidelines, extensive consultation as well as good 
information exchange between the partners involved must ensure equitable 
visibility and a more cohesive approach. A weekly meeting between the 
NGOs and the UN, chaired by OCHA is suggested.

25. OCHA has decided to report two times a week, on Wednesday and Friday 
to monitor activities in a more strategic way.  Humanitarian partners 
such as INGC and UNICEF are planning to reduce reporting frequency as 
humanitarian initiatives at the field level are consolidated, and 
Cluster efforts shift more to the maintenance, monitoring and evaluation 
of on going implementation.

26. The WASH cluster has been meeting on a regular basis, under the 
coordination of UNICEF, at both national level and in the district 
'hubs' of Caia (Sofala Province), Mutarara (Tete Province) and Mopeia 
(Zambezia) province. Cluster partners have maintained ongoing liaison 
with the Ministry of Public Works and Housing.  This improved 
coordination within the sector has facilitated consensus on a clear 
division of labour between all humanitarian partners to ensure coverage 
of WASH interventions in all of the accommodation centres in flood 
affected areas, including in remote locations. Additional support was 
mobilised from partners such as Oxfam and MSF, to expand WASH operations 
into affected areas receiving less support.

27. An international radio-operator is arriving in Mozambique to conduct 
radio training sessions for UN Agencies, NGO partners and the INGC on 
HF, VHF and satellite communications.

28. The Epidemiological Surveillance Working Group, jointly with the 
World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health, will discuss 
health information flow mechanisms and the implementation of an 
epidemiological surveillance system in the accommodation centres.

29. Officials in the Tete province have demarcated 400 plots for 
resettlement purposes and are identifying other areas that are not at 
risk of flooding. Two more resettlement areas in Caia and Chupanga in 
the Sofala province have been identified.

30. The INGC has started to hand over the program to the provincial 
directors responsible for the respective sectors. Continuous monitoring 
of registration of people is needed to avoid overcrowding in 
accommodation centres and minimize educational, logistical, shelter and 
health constraints. Emphasis should be on people greatly affected by the 
disasters.

31. Due to the increased air traffic around Caia, two inspectors from 
Civil Aviation will be controlling air traffic in that area.

32. On Friday 02 March 2007 OCHA convened a meeting with NGO-partners to 
get feedback on the implementation of the cluster approach and to 
consolidate cooperation with the United Nations system in Mozambique. 
Certain NGOs expressed concern over their involvement in the response. 
Harmonized guidelines, extensive consultation as well as good 
information exchange between the partners involved must ensure equitable 
visibility and a more cohesive approach. A weekly meeting between the 
NGOs and the UN, chaired by OCHA is suggested.

33. The UNFPA Humanitarian Response Unit in New York has expressed 
willingness to provide additional support for logistics. UNFPA is also 
exploring local solutions to the latter including partnerships with 
other local Humanitarian Agencies.

34. Humanitarian partners such as INGC and UNICEF are considering 
reducing their reporting frequency as at current there is little 
substantial additional daily information. OCHA has decided to report two 
times a week, on Wednesday and Friday to monitor activities in a more 
strategic way.

FORECAST

35. Slight rainfall in the central and the north of the country is 
announced. Water levels along the Zambezi remain stable though may 
increase due to heavy rains in neighboring Zambia and Angola.

36. Water levels are foreseen to decline in the Pungoe river basin 
within the next 24 hours. However, slight increase of water is expected 
in Cahora Bassa without a meaningful impact to the current situation.

FORTHCOMING

37. On Wednesday 05 March and Thursday 06 March 2007 a United Nations 
Country Team mission will conduct a monitoring and observation field 
trip to both the Zambezi area as well as the area affected by the 
cyclone.

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)
  Ms. Kelly David
   Tel: + 27-11-517-1609

Emergency Communication Team Mozambique
  Mr. Luis Zaqueu
   Tel: + 258-21-485-159
  Mr. Dimitri Lermytte
   Tel: + 258-84 6990970

Desk Officer
  NYC - 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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