2007 Floods and Cyclone: Mozambique humanitarian situation update, 3-7 March
Major Developments On 5 March, the Prime Minister presented the preliminary Government Post Emergency Reconstruction Plan. The Plan covers populations affected by the Zambezi floods and Tropical Cyclone Favio, in addition to other populations affected by the 2006/2007 rainy season and the drought in the southern region of the country. The overall objectives of the US$ 70.9 million plan are to reduce vulnerability of affected populations and restore normalcy to the social and economic conditions of natural disaster affected areas, through continued humanitarian and resettlement assistance, the restoration of agricultural and economic activity, and the rehabilitation of basic services and infrastructures. The Plan covers four areas: social sectors (education and culture, health); economic sectors (agriculture, fisheries, tourism, industry/commerce); infrastructure (water and sanitation, roads, energy); and the reduction of vulnerability (housing, environment, women and social action). It also provides a framework for the relocation and resettlement of populations currently sheltered in accommodation centres – including the provision of land, tools and construction materials, as well as special assistance to the most vulnerable populations (such as female headed households, orphaned and vulnerable children and their care givers, the chronically ill and people living with disabilities). The UN family, bilateral and multilateral donors and other partners have been asked to review the Plan and identify potential areas of support. In the provinces of Zambezia, Tete, Sofala and Manica, the process of plot demarcation for resettlement has begun. In Manica, as the 2000/1 experience suggests that purpose built houses were not successful, housing materials will be provided to affected families to build the houses themselves. 1) TROPICAL CYCLONE FAVIO Needs Assessment On 3 March, a team composed of representatives of WHO, WFP, the National Institute of Disaster Management (INGC), the Ministry of Public Works and Housing (MOPA) and UNICEF, led by the Chief of the Emergency Operations Centre (CENOE) Cyclone Operation in the southern region, visited the districts of Inhassoro and Govuro in Inhambane province and Machanga and Chibabaya in Sofala province, in order to assess the extent of damage due to Cyclone Favio and to obtain first hand reports from the Districts Administrators. The assessment reaffirmed the findings of previous assessments, indicating infrastructural damage and loss of crops as the main concerns. The areas most affected were found to be the coastal districts, such as Inhassoro. Inhambane province 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 were damaged but as people are choosing to stay within their communities, only 247 people are currently in accommodation centres. Serious infrastructural damage was caused by the cyclone in most of the affected districts. The priority needs for Inhambane province continue to be as follows: (1) support for affected families, including materials to cover houses, non-food items and food; (2) support for the reconstruction of damaged health facilities; and (3) support to ensure minimum disruption to schooling. Sofala province In addition to the districts affected in Inhambane province, cyclone damage was reported in Buzi, Machanga, Dondo and Chibabava in Sofala province, in relation to infrastructure, schools and health posts. According to the Government Reconstruction Plan, flooding of the River Buzi as a result of the cyclone has affected an estimated 12,800 people. Approximately 2,296 of these people are staying in accommodation centres. Manica province In total, an estimated 16,300 people in Manica were affected by Cyclone Favio. None of these people have been housed in accommodation centres. UNICEF Response UNICEF continues to participate in clusters established by the INGC in Vilanculos to support the cyclone response. Five clusters have been established:
UNICEF is leading the Aid Coordination cluster and participating in the Infrastructure and Social Services clusters. Under the framework of the Aid Coordination cluster, UNICEF has been providing technical assistance to the CENOE in the area of planning and coordination since 2 March. The cluster is responsible for collecting, analysing and consolidating information about the humanitarian response and sending it to central Government. The INGC has deployed a staff member from central level to work within this cluster. The transition to the recovery phase has been discussed during the CENOE daily coordination meetings: the immediate humanitarian response phase is expected to last until 10 March and the rehabilitation phase (focusing on housing only) is expected to last until end June 2007 (excluding the rehabilitation of social services). Water trucking in affected areas is continuing as planned and approximately 2,300 people (in three health centres, three accommodation centres and two schools) were reached in the first week of the response. The plan is to extend coverage to an additional 2,000 people by the end of this week. In addition to the immediate water and sanitation interventions, in Vilanculos, Inhassoro and Govuro districts UNICEF has so far supported over 30,000 people with roofing material (plastic sheeting), 242 vulnerable families with basic materials (family kits) and one orphanage. UNICEF has been liaising with partners to agree upon the division of labour to ensure that support is provided to all of the affected populations. The IFRC is commencing humanitarian interventions on 7 March, aiming to reach approximately 7,000 families. In terms of non-food items, UNICEF has agreed with the IFRC that it will focus on the districts of Vilanculos and Inhassoro. The IFRC will cover all of the needs in Govuro district and will meet the unmet needs in Vilanculos, Inhassoro and Massinga districts. The supplies received by UNICEF in terms of roofing material can cover the needs of over 7,200 families (or about 36,000 people). The Mozambican Red Cross has already distributed NFIs to cover the needs of over 3,000 families (or about 15,000 people). The local education authorities, in partnership with UNICEF, are finalising a detailed plan for the distribution of education supplies including zinc sheets, tents to serve as temporary learning spaces, school kits and recreation kits. The distribution of supplies to affected districts is ongoing and the army is supporting the installation of tents. A technical team from the province has been deployed to Vilanculos to support the planning and monitoring stages of the construction process in the districts. Needs Assessment The final report of the multi-sectoral assessment conducted in flood affected areas by teams composed of representatives from Government, UN and NGO partners was made available on 6 March. The report outlines the immediate priorities identified by the assessment teams, including food; health; water, sanitation and hygiene promotion interventions (with a focus on enhancing community participation); seeds for the second agricultural season; tools for agricultural production and the rehabilitation of accommodation; and basic health education, particularly in the areas of malaria, cholera and HIV prevention. It proposes a number of recommendations for immediate sector interventions, including:
A rapid food security assessment is currently scheduled for mid March, to be led by the Vulnerability Assessment Committee of the Technical Secretariat for Food and Nutrition Security, with the aim of:
A senior level mission, including the UN Country Team and regional OCHA representatives, is visiting flood and cyclone affected areas from 7-9 March. The team will travel to Vilanculos and then Caia. The mission will be accompanied by the UNICEF Representative and the UNICEF Regional Emergency Advisor. The Government Reconstruction Plan gives the number of people displaced due to the floods as of 3 March as approximately 163,045 people. An estimated 107,534 of these people are in the accommodation centres and 55,511 in the resettlement centres that were established after the 2001 floods. As the numbers of people in some centres continue to increase, the Government is working with partners to improve the registration systems in accommodation centres and to ensure that only genuinely displaced people who have lost their possessions and livelihoods are considered as accommodation centre residents. 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. The priority concerns in affected areas are food (particularly in Zambezia province), sanitation and the need for hygiene/health education in order to prevent any outbreaks of cholera (no cases have been reported to date). Focus is being placed in Zambezia on reaching less accessible areas with support, such as the district of Chinde. UNICEF is liaising with the INGC and WFP to secure the use of a helicopter to support the delivery of essential supplies to Chinde.
UNICEF Response In the flood affected areas, the UNICEF teams are now focusing on supporting the local education, health, water and social action authorities and other partners to distribute the available supplies, and to monitor the situation in the centres to ensure that any additional supply and non-supply needs are identified and addressed in a timely manner. WASH In all affected provinces, UNICEF continues to work with Government and NGO partners to ensure complete coverage of centres with WASH interventions, in line with the agreed division of labour. WASH cluster partners have accelerated the distribution of hygiene kits and supplies (certeza, soap and jerry cans) in accommodation centres and the construction of wells and latrines is continuing in line with identified needs. Health UNICEF is continuing to work with other partners to support the local health authorities in assessing the situation in relation to health in the centres, identifying appropriate referral facilities, and conducting activities including epidemiological surveillance, cholera prevention (no cases have been registered), drug distribution, immunisation, malaria spraying and the distribution of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs). To date, over 40,000 ITNs have been distributed by UNICEF and partners in affected areas. In relation to immunisation, in light of the fact that over 8 million children were vaccinated against measles under the national immunisation campaign conducted in 2005, the Ministry of Health is focusing on routine immunisation rather than conducting an immunisation campaign. UNICEF is working with the district health authorities to ensure a consistent approach to immunisation across all affected provinces. Nutrition UNICEF is supporting the local health authorities and other partners in ongoing activities under the supplementary feeding programme in affected areas, which is currently being implemented in the districts of Caia, Marromeu and Chemba in Sofala province, Mopeia and Morrumbala in Zambezia province, Mutarara in Tete province and Tambara in Manica province. UNICEF is also working with the local health authorities to ensure the availability of accurate data on nutritional surveillance and distribution of BP5 – compact food. Education UNICEF has been working with provincial and district education authorities to distribute education and recreation materials to schools affected by the floods in Sofala, Tete and Zambezia provinces, including to date some 18,000 learners' kits, over 120 school kits and 300 teachers' kits. 15 school tents have been installed and are in use as temporary learning spaces in Sofala (Caia 10, Chemba 2, Marromeu 3), 6 in Zambezia (Mopeia) and 8 in Tete (Mutarara including Inhangoma). 3 more will be installed in Mutarara over the coming days. A distribution plan has been agreed upon by all cluster partners, in which Save the Children Norway will distribute 1,500 learners' kits and 5 school tents in Manica province this week (Tambara district); World Vision and Action Aid are distributing UNICEF school tents in Mutarara district and will support the distribution of 10 more school tents provided by Save the Children Alliance which arrived on Sunday; Save the Children UK have installed 3 school tents in Mopeia; and Samaritan's Purse will distribute 3,000 more learners' kits in Chemba district. In Mutarara, a carpenter has been contracted to make blackboards from the boxes in which the school tents have been distributed. These will be distributed along with UNICEF school kits to affected schools in the district. Extra teachers are being deployed by the district education authorities to affected schools in Mopeia and Morrumbala districts in Zambezia. The education cluster partners are working with the provincial and district level education authorities to support schools and School Councils to ensure that vulnerable children, particularly girls and orphaned children, who are currently out of school can access education. Many of the children evacuated during the floods have never received schooling of any kind. Gender Units and School Council members have been mobilised to work with community leaders in the accommodation centres to encourage parents and care-givers to send their children, especially their daughters, to school. This is being done urgently to ensure that the new learners are included in the 2007 annual school survey which is being conducted this week nationwide and which is used as the basis for allocation of resources (including teachers, textbooks and construction of classrooms). Protection With support from UNICEF, Handicap International is conducting mine risk assessments in flood affected areas. Assessments have already been completed in the Caia area. Several mine-fields have been identified and demining agents are being sent to the registered mine-fields to ensure that they are still well demarcated. Handicap is conducting activities to sensitise communities through their leaders and other existing institutions, such as schools, and plans to provide advice to the local authorities to ensure that mine risk is minimised in relation to demarcations as part of the resettlement process. Save the Children Alliance, UNICEF and cluster partners have conducted child protection training in accommodation centres for senior personnel, members of Government and other organisations in all affected 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 is planned for the coming days. Household basic emergency kits, recreational kits, clothing and blankets are also being provided, with the aim of reaching all children and women in accommodation centres. UNICEF has been liaising with the Ministry of Interior to ensure that police staff trained in protection issues are deployed to all accommodation centres. There are currently 37 police from the Provincial Headquarters deployed in centres in Zambezia province, 32 in Sofala province and 18 in Tete province. In those centres in which police from provincial level have not been deployed, district police are providing protection, in coordination with community police. 10 policewomen have been deployed to centres to provide specific support in cases relating to women. All deployed police have received rapid refresher training in protection issues, and informative materials have been distributed. A team from central level has visited all affected provinces to oversee the process of deployment and raise awareness among NGO partners regarding the police presence. This team is now working on ensuring police presence in Tambara district in Manica province and Zumbo in Tete province. The heads of existing provincial reception centres established to provide support to victims of violence have been tasked with monitoring police presence in the centres. Inter-Agency Collaboration and Key Partnerships The Mozambique IASC Country Team has finalised the Humanitarian Response Plan to cover the medium term flood response and immediate cyclone response activities over the three-month period from March to May. The plan is intended to bridge the transition period between the Government Contingency Plan and the Government Recovery Plan. The weekly meeting between cluster leads, the RCO and the INGC was held on 7 March. The INGC announced that the Government policy on resettlement was being finalised and would be presented at a meeting on 22 March, during which all Governors would be consulted. The international humanitarian community will also participate in the finalisation of the policy. The current list of cluster leads and participants is provided below: Logistics Food Security Telecommunications Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Nutrition Health Education Protection Emergency Shelter Early Recovery
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