OCHA Situation Report
Zimbabwe Floods
15 December 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

HIGHLIGHTS

- Muzarabani floods displace and affect more people - approximately 210 
households (1,260 individuals)

- Food, tents/plastic sheeting, cooking utensils, search and rescue top 
priority needs

- The Department of Meteorological Services continues to warn of more 
rains throughout the country until Christmas

SITUATION

According to the Police Chief Superintendent Sithole, who was part of a 
quick aerial and ground assessment by the government, about 210 
households have been displaced and flood affected people have sought 
refuge on higher ground at Chadereka Primary School.

The Superintendent described the situation as tense but not critical 
with only one reported case of a 6-year old child who suffered a 
fractured arm from the rubble of a felled hut.

An unspecified number of people are marooned in the Gunduza area within 
the same flooded area. These people are not easily accessible. Two major 
bridges in leading to the area have been swept away by flood waters.

  A total of 400 huts were washed away and completely destroyed by 
inundation.

To compound the emergency, the community was affected by the flood on 
the 13th of December 2007 when they had just received their food rations 
from Christian Care/WFP vulnerable group feeding (VGF) on the 12th of 
the same month. This means that they had all their food lost to the 
flood.

Other losses witnessed were; 28 goats, 2 beasts, and 225 chickens which 
were washed way.

NEEDS

The top priority needs for the affected communities are:
- Tents, plastic sheeting
- Prepared food (ready to eat)
- Blankets
- Cooking utensils
- Water treatment kits
- Search and rescue capacity for the marooned communities


RESPONSE

The Red Cross, today (15/12/07) dispatched;
- 60 blankets
- 30 tarpaulins
- 30 kitchen sets
- 60 water jerry cans
- 120 tablets of soap

NB. No food as of the time of reporting had been sent to the area.

The air force of Zimbabwe is flying to the area today (15/12/07) with 
the Provincial Governor of Mashonaland Central and the News Crew. 
Further information is expected from the Department of Civil Protection.

RECOMMENDATION

The government through the Civil Protection Unit needs to provide a 
matrix, showing how much they are able to provide and what complementary 
support they may require from the humanitarian community. This is a 
relatively small emergency and the level of alarm by CPU to mobilize 
resources is somehow on the higher side. As of the time of reporting, 
the CPU was still checking as to how much stock they had in their 
warehouses/ storerooms. The CPU Acting Director also indicated that they 
also had some capacity to purchase some food stocks from the 
government's grain marketing board (GMB).

There is need for strategic planning since the predicament could be more 
than what we see at face value; to this end; Disclaimer: - The content 
of this document is for information purposes only and not an official 
record of the United Nations' views. hydrological and meteorological 
experts were dispatched today (15/12/2007) to assess the real cause of 
flooding

which is likely to be localized ponding and not back flow from the 
Cahora Bassa.

The humanitarian community would have to wait for the gap analysis 
outcome and request for support from the government, which is likely to 
be completed at the 17/12/07 emergency meeting. OCHA will continue 
monitoring the situation closely and issuing out situation updates.

CONTACT

Muktar Farah, OCHA Head a.i. Cell: +26311617734 or Clever Maputseni, 
Information Officer, Cell: +26311617734

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