2007 Floods and Cyclone: Mozambique humanitarian situation update, 28 February
Major developments The progress of Tropical Cyclone Gamede in the Indian Ocean is being monitored, although the current trajectory of the cyclone suggests that Mozambique is not currently in danger. The water levels are above alert levels in the basin of the Buzi river, as a result of Tropical Cyclone Favio, affecting areas including Sussundegenga, Chibabava, Vila and Buzi. Over the next 48 hours, if the level of the Buzi river remains above alert levels, the water levels could increase in the provinces of Inhambane, Sofala and Manica. In the Zambezi basin, the water levels remain below the alert levels in the districts of Mutarara, Caia and Marromeu. The Cahora Bassa dam discharge rate remains at 2,500 m3/s. As of 27 February, the National Institute of Disaster Management (INGC) estimated that approximately 163,045 people had been displaced due to the floods. An estimated 107,534 people were in the accommodation centres and 55,511 in the resettlement centres that were established after the 2001 floods. 1) TROPICAL CYCLONE FAVIO Needs assessment Inhambane province. Initial reports from the INGC indicate that 6 people were killed as a result of the cyclone (1 in Vilanculo, 2 in Inhassoro, 3 in Govuro and 2 in Massinga) and 79 wounded (50 in Vilanculo, 22 in Inhassoro, 5 in Govuro and 2 in Massinga). In total, an estimated 133,670 people were affected by the cyclone in the four affected districts of Inhambane province: 73,000 (14,600 families) in Vilanculo, 43,170 (16,471 families) in Inhassoro, 7,500 (1,498 families) in Govuro and 10,000 (2,000 families) in Massinga. Significant numbers of houses have been damaged but as people are choosing to stay close to their homes, only a relatively small number of people are currently in the accommodation centres in the area. Serious infrastructural damage was caused by the cyclone in most of the affected districts. The priority needs identified for Inhambane province are threefold: (1) support for affected families, including materials to cover houses, food non-food items; (2) support for the reconstruction of damaged health facilities; and (3) support to ensure minimum disruption to schooling. In total, approximately 18 health facilities and 332 classrooms have been damaged across the affected areas in Inhambane province. Further details on each of the affected districts are provided below: Vilanculo. The total affected population is estimated to be 73,000 people.
The priority needs in Vilanculo are non-food items for the affected population. The Mozambican Red Cross is currently undertaking assessments to determine the exact needs. Other needs include food, water and sanitation supplies, roofing materials such as zinc sheets, medical supplies (including antiretrovirals and drugs for the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV), plastic sheeting, tents to serve as temporary learning facilities and education supplies. Inhassoro. The total affected population is estimated to be 43,170 people.
The priority needs in Inhassoro are family tents, food, tents to be used as temporary learning facilities, roofing materials and water and sanitation for health centres. Govuro. Little specific information is currently available in relation to the situation in Govuro. The available information reported by local authorities indicates an estimated affected population of 7,500 people. One death has been reported and 5 wounded people.
The priority needs in Govuro are food, chlorine, education materials, roofing materials and tents. Massinga. The total affected population is estimated to be 10,000 people. Of 6 localities, only one was affected by the cyclone (Malamba). Further information is now available on the impact of the cyclone in Massinga:
The priority needs in Massinga are roofing materials (zinc sheeting, nails, wooden poles, etc.) and education materials. Sofala province. In addition to the districts affected in Inhambane province, cyclone damage is reported in Buzi, Machanga, Dondo and Chibabava in Sofala province, in relation to infrastructure, schools and health posts. The river in Buzi has reached water levels over the alert level and a number of people have been evacuated to higher ground. A search and rescue operation has been conducted in the area by boat, and the INGC is conducting an assessment of the area, the results of which are expected in the next few days. UNICEF response UNICEF staff members are participating in ongoing assessments of cyclone affected areas, together with Government and other partners, in order to assess the immediate needs in terms of both supply and non-supply interventions. The INGC in Vilanculo has now established five clusters to support the response:
UNICEF is currently participating in the Infrastructure, Social Services and Aid Coordination clusters. Health
Education
WASH.
Protection
UNICEF has provided logistic support to the Mozambican Red Cross to conduct further assessments of the needs in all of the localities in affected areas, in order to facilitate the development of a coordinated distribution plan for the incoming supplies. In addition, UNICEF is providing tarpaulin, plastic sheeting and ropes to support the immediate response and is working on a distribution plan in coordination with Government and other partners. Support has also been provided to mobilise local trucks to support the extensive distribution of supplies in the coming days.
2) ZAMBEZI FLOODS Needs Assessment The UNICEF teams based in Caia (Sofala province), Mopeia (Zambezia province) and Mutarara (Tete province) are continuing to work with Government, UN and NGO partners to monitor the immediate and medium term needs in flood affected provinces. On the basis of outstanding needs identified, the current main priorities by sector are as follows: Health: the distribution of ITNs and support to local authorities to ensure cholera preparedness and response capacity. The main reported illnesses in the majority of centres are malaria, conjunctivitis, diarrhea and skin infections. There have been no cases of cholera reported. Education: the installation and use of remaining tents, the distribution of remaining education materials and the deployment of sufficient teachers to all centres. Nutrition: ongoing nutritional surveillance and the provision of appropriate supplementary or therapeutic feeding to malnourished children, particularly through the distribution of BP5 supplies. The numbers in most centres are not currently cause for concern but the increase in cases in some areas, such as Mopeia, are being monitored, as they could be exacerbated by prevailing food shortages. WASH: support to ensure that all centres, including those that are less accessible, are covered with WASH interventions, through implementation of activities in line with the agreed the division of labour. Protection: the identification and support of vulnerable children in centres, the provision of training in psychosocial support in centres and the training of police deployed in centres on protection issues. Teams composed of governmental and non-governmental partners (including the Ministry of Health, SETSAN/VAC, UNICEF, WFP, FAO and USAID/FEWSNET) have finalised the data collection for the multi-sectoral assessment to build upon initial assessments in flood affected areas. The final results of the assessment are expected in the coming days. UNICEF Response WASH In all provinces, UNICEF has been working with Government and NGO partners to agree upon the division of labour to ensure that all centres are covered with WASH interventions. As of 28 February, all centres have been divided between the partners. UNICEF will now focus on providing the necessary support to partners to ensure implementation of the agreed division of labour, including in hard-to-reach and new centres. UNICEF is also promoting the strengthening of links between partners working in the areas of WASH and health, both in terms of health and hygiene education and in terms of epidemiological surveillance, in order to monitor the potential for outbreaks of cholera (no cases yet reported). Health The UNICEF Health and Nutrition Officers based in Caia, Mopeia and Mutarara are all continuing to support the local health authorities in assessing the situation in relation to health in the centres. The distribution of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) remains a priority. To date, approximately 17,000 ITNs have been distributed by UNICEF and partners in affected areas. UNICEF is also liaising with the provincial health authorities in all flood affected provinces to ensure that sufficient stocks are available and activities in place in regard to cholera preparedness. No cholera cases have yet been reported. MSF has significant cholera supplies pre-positioned in strategic locations. Nutrition In all flood affected provinces, UNICEF is supporting the local health authorities and other partners in ongoing activities under the supplementary feeding programme, including screening of children, the provision of appropriate treatment for malnourished children (supplementary or therapeutic feeding) and the distribution of Vitamin A and de-worming tablets. Education In all flood affected provinces, UNICEF is continuing to work with the local education authorities and NGO partners to ensure that all affected children have access to education. To date, UNICEF and partners have distributed 29 tents to serve as temporary learning facilities, 27,151 learners’ kits, 720 kits of basic education material, 806 teachers’ kits and 176 school kits. UNICEF is also liaising with the local education authorities and partners on the education ‘software’, including how best to promote gender parity. Protection UNICEF is working with the Ministry of Women and Social Action and the Mozambican Red Cross in affected areas to identify orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC) in the centres. UNICEF is procuring basic kits for OVC to be distributed in centres in which kits provided by the Red Cross are not available. UNICEF is continuing to follow up with the Ministry of Interior on policing of centres in affected areas. The rapid refresher training for deployed police on protection and gender issues began in Mopeia and is taking place in the remaining affected provinces this week. The multimedia mobile units disseminating information on life skills have also been requested to spread messages on the protection of children in some affected areas. Inter-Agency Collaboration and Key Partnerships The current list of cluster leads and participants is provided below: Logistics Food Security Telecommunications Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
Health Education Protection Shelter Early Recovery
Photo essay Photo essay Related links Health activists spread life-saving messages Protecting children from malaria and water-borne diseases Flood-affected children go back to school Coastal towns hard at work after Cyclone Favio Mozambique floods: Getting children back to school Mozambique floods: Preventing the spread of diseases among children in the camps 2007 Floods and Cyclone: humanitarian updates |
