OCHA Situation Report No. 14
Mozambique: Floods
Reporting Period: 19-23 March 2007
26 March 2007


HIGHLIGHTS

MOZAMBIQUE HIT BY ANOTHER DISASTER

At least 96 were killed and about 400 injured in Mozambique capital 
Maputo, on Thursday March 22, following a massive fire and a series of 
explosions at an ammunition depot. The number of deaths could rise as 
many of the injuries are serious and there are people, especially 
children, who have not been accounted for. The health services were 
suddenly placed under enormous strain but are reported to have responded 
well.

The powerful blasts sent artillery and mortar shells flying over nearby 
residential neighborhoods destroying several houses, shattering windows 
across the city and the outskirts and creating general panic among the 
population.

Several unexploded ammunitions and shell casings have been dispersed 
throughout the surrounding areas, posing a threat to the safety of the 
people living in the affected areas. The army has started removing many 
of the devices.

The Government has declared a three day mourning period and set up a 
commission of inquiry to establish the causes of this disaster. The 
President has also stated that the ammunition depot should be relocated 
to a non residential area.

The United Nations and the national civil society organizations have 
been in contact with the Government authorities and have offered their 
full support, pulling from the vast expertise in areas such as de-mining 
and crisis management.  The support will range from providing expert 
assistance in the cleaning up of potentially deadly pieces of unexploded 
ordinance to providing psychosocial support to children affected by the 
explosions and to raising public awareness about the danger of handling 
unexploded munitions.


SITUATION OVERVIEW OF THE FLOOD AND CYCLONE AFFECTED AREAS

1. In the past 48 hours, weak rains have been registered throughout the 
country as well as in neighboring countries. The water levels in 
different river basins are fluctuant but the dominant trend is water 
levels to decrease. Cahora Bassa dam discharge is stable at 1500 m3/s. 
In the southern region, water level of Maputo River is expected to rise 
as a result of South Africa's Pongolaport dam discharges.

2. Water levels are receding and as the water dries up, thick muddy 
conditions have made roads impassible hampering relief operations, 
particularly in Mutarara and Mopeia.

3. INGC confirms that there are families whose shelters were not 
destroyed by the floods, but whose first season crops were lost before 
the harvest. The Food Security Cluster is mobilizing seeds that will be 
distributed in all flood affected districts through Agricultural Input 
Fairs in April, for planting for a second harvest in July.

4. Whilst still providing relief support to accommodation centres, 
humanitarian partners are now shifting their focus to the Resettlement 
Process. Preparing for the resettlement process remains challenging for 
humanitarian agencies, as the Government is still finalizing its 
Resettlement Plan. Simultaneously, CENOE/INGC with the support of UN 
Humanitarian Air Service are collecting GPS coordinates for plot 
demarcation for the resettlement process in all of the flood affected 
provinces. Thus far, many of the resettlement plots are being planned 
close to existing accommodation centres.

5. The CENOE/INGC has reported that the resettlement phase has started 
in some provinces. Resources are required for land clearing and 
infrastructure development.  The INGC reports that community 
mobilization, sensitization and training are on going in many locations 
involving provincial/district and CENOE/INGC officials. The involvement 
of communities in the mobilization process will be an integral part of 
the resettlement process. The success of the Resettlement process will 
be dependent on providing the resettled people with immediate 
humanitarian assistance and ensuring that livelihood / agricultural 
production opportunities are in close proximity to these settlements to 
ensure that they do not go back to the flood-risk areas.

6. In cyclone affected areas, the Government in Vilanculos has 
officially declared an end to immediate humanitarian response phase on 
10 March 2007. Working groups have been established in Vilanculos to 
develop a rehabilitation strategy focusing on four areas: infrastructure 
(including water and sanitation), agriculture, health and social action.

7. Meanwhile, a violent storm blew off the roofs of at least 700 houses 
on Sunday morning, 18 March, in the districts of Chokwe and Guija, in 
the southern Mozambican province of Gaza. Winds of up to 60 kilometres 
per an hour also affected the neighboring provinces of Maputo and 
Inhambane. According to INGC, some health units also lost their roofs, 
and patients and health personnel where suddenly exposed to the bad 
weather. The INGC has responded by sending tents and iron sheeting to 
the affected areas for immediate distribution. The Ministries of 
Education, Health and Public Works and Housing have carried out their 
own assessments in the affected districts and are informing partners of 
the required needs. UNICEF facilitated the transport of plastic sheeting 
and latrine slabs from the national Water Directorate in Maputo to the 
Chinacaine Health Center Post in Guija district as well as shelter 
supplies for temporarily rehabilitating 15 damaged classrooms across the 
Chockwe and Guija districts.

ACTIVITIES/RESPONSES

FOOD SECURITY CLUSTER

8. The food security cluster distributed food to 120,000 people in 60 
accommodation centres in four provinces and to 32.000 people in the 
cyclone affected areas.

9. The Food Security Cluster is led by WFP and FAO in coordination with 
NGO partners, following guidance from the National Institute for 
Disaster Management (INGC). To the greatest extent possible, food 
commodities will be purchased in Mozambique to allow for speedy delivery 
to the affected locations. Local purchases will also support local trade 
and development of the agricultural sector, including market expansion 
for semi-subsistence farmers, which will contribute to the GoM's poverty 
alleviation strategy.

10. For the period end March ? April, the cluster will provide food to 
137,000 flood and cyclone affected people.

11. The Government estimates that 285,000 people have lost their crops. 
This number is based on the number of those who were affected by similar 
floods in 2001 and will require food aid up until June, when they should 
be able to harvest a second season crop in July 2007.


LOGISTICS CLUSTER

12. To ensure the speedy delivery of relief supplies to the cyclone 
affected areas, the cluster has set up three wikihalls (large mobile 
storage tents) in Vilanculos. These are for food and non-food items.

13. The UN Humanitarian Air Service is coordinating the use of three 
helicopters; 1 from WFP and 2 from the South African Air Force. There is 
also one smaller assessment helicopter (SA Air Force) and one fixed wing 
WFP-chartered 10-seater Cessna Caravan. Consequently, the provision of 
humanitarian assistance has increased significantly as the three 
helicopters can deliver an average of 60 metric tones of food and 
non-food items per day.

Contact Details:

In case of emergency only (OCHA Geneva): 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

OCHA R/C Mozambique Communication Team Mr. Luis Zaqueu,
  Tel: + 258-21-485-159

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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