Mozambique humanitarian situation update, 16 January 2008.
Major Developments
As of the 16 January the level of the Zambeze River has stabilized or started to decrease in upstream locations. However, levels remain high and above alert levels downstream in Caia, Marromeu and Mutarara where further increases have been recorded over the last 24 hours. At 06h00 on 15 January, water levels were reported at 7.65m in Caia.
Output from the Cahora Bassa Dam has decreased from 6,200 to 5,500 cubic meters per second.
Heavy rainfall is expected in Malawi and northern Zambia over the coming days which is raising concerns that the Chire river could rise even further putting the populations of Mutarara, and particularly Inhangoma, at further risk.
The CENOE is reporting a total number of 65,369 people who have been relocated to resettlement centres across the flood affected districts. Some 7,757 people entered resettlement centres in the last 24 hours alone, over half of whom were in the Mutarara district.
UNAPROC has been activated and the first contingent of 44 troops arrived in Caia on 11 January. Teams are being deployed daily to vulnerable areas for search and rescue of families and communities who have been stranded by the flooding.
A total of 37,290 hectares of arable land has been lost.
Preliminary Assessments
Mutarara District: In recent days the Chirembwe, Jardim and Samarucha resettlement centres in Mutarara district have themselves been flooded by rising waters. The UNICEF team together with the Provincial Director of Health in Tete conducted an assessment visit to identify a possible area to relocate those people to other more secure centres. Those in Chirembwe centre will be relocated to Cachasso and Mapulango centres. The relocation of 9,000 people from Jardim and Samarucha centres to Bawe and Charre in Mutarara town requires significant logistical support. The UNAPROC and INGC are using boats to relocate those affected but require additional logistical support to ensure the safe and rapid rescue of other affected families.
Based on request from the INGC, UNICEF/UNAIDS teams have joined INGC assessments that are currently being conducted in Chinde, Mutarara and Mopeia districts. These assessments focus on the collection of data regarding the number of people per resettlement centre and on the immediate needs of those affected.
UNICEF Response
Management and coordination
- Teams in Caia and Mutarara, together with partners, continue to conduct rapid assessments in the resettlement and accommodation centres in affected areas to evaluate the status and determine the basic needs of evacuated and displaced populations, especially children and women. Field reports are received in the UNICEF Country Office every two days and are compiled in the UNICEF Emergency Situation Centre. UNICEF situation reports feed into the wider humanitarian communities’ reports, consolidated weekly by UNOCHA.
- The teams in Caia and Mutarara have been strengthened with further deployment of UNICEF staff to coordinate sectoral and cluster efforts and scale up the response in the affected areas. The teams have also been joined by staff from UNAIDS, UNFPA and RCO to support coordination efforts and to ensure that HIV/AIDS and gender issues are appropriately addressed throughout the emergency response.
Health and Nutrition
- No major cholera outbreak has occurred in the affected areas. Cholera prevention measures are being supported in flood affected areas to avoid a cholera outbreak including distribution of pre-positioned supplies. Community radios are broadcasting cholera spots and UNICEF and partners are working with Health authorities to ensure cholera treatment services are available in the event of an outbreak in affected districts. UNICEF has ordered additional cholera beds and protective equipment in order to ensure that all affected areas are covered.
- Malaria prevention initiatives are underway including the ongoing distribution of 15,000 insecticide treated nets. Community radios are broadcasting malaria prevention spots on a regular basis. UNICEF is also working with local partners to ensure timely social mobilisation efforts on the use of malaria nets at household level.
- The Nutrition Cluster is currently participating in the inter-agency assessment on food security and nutrition in flood-affected areas. The team will complete the assessment on 18 January after which findings will be shared and analysed. The assessment is multi-sectoral and consists of UN agencies, line ministries and non-governmental organisations.
Water and Sanitation
- WASH has been coordinating the distribution of emergency supplies with national, provincial and local authorities. Water bladders, pumps, latrine slabs, soap and hygiene kits and plastic sheeting are being distributed in collaboration with the DPOPH, INGC and partners.
- In Machanga District a water treatment plant has been installed and is providing safe water to 972 resettled people. Latrine slabs and plastic sheeting have been delivered to support the construction of latrines. The community is participating in the construction of these facilities. Discussions are underway to train and equip local activists to conduct activities on safe hygiene practices.
- In Buzi District, UNICEF is supporting the local authorities with the distribution of safe water to two bladders established in the Guara Guara resettlement centre. Latrine slabs and plastic sheeting have been provided for construction of latrines.
- In Nhamatanda District, the relocated populations are currently based in temporary accommodation centres while local authorities locate a suitable site for resettlement. DPOPH, with UNICEF and partners’ support, has ensured access to safe water and have provided latrine slabs and plastic sheeting for construction of latrines.
- New supplies including plastic sheeting for latrines have arrived and will be distributed shortly in the affected areas. Plans are also being finalised to rehabilitate water points in resettlement centres in order to ensure the availability of safe water. A distribution list for PUR has been developed indicating the need for 200,000 sachets.
- The WASH Cluster assessment is on-going in the most affected and remote areas in cooperation with the INGC.
Education
- The Education Cluster, co-led by UNICEF and Save the Children Alliance, is working to ensure that children have access to education as soon as the school year begins at the end of January. UNICEF has been working closely with the district education authorities to identify the immediate needs in the affected areas and has developed a distribution plan for pre-positioned education materials based on the assessment findings. The assessment also formed the basis of the CERF request for Education.
- The Cluster will provide pre-positioned education and recreation materials for learners, didactic materials for teachers and provision of tents and will establish temporary learning spaces in advance of the commencement of the new academic year.
- The Education Cluster has been working with the district education authorities to ensure that teachers will be mobilised to temporary schools/learning spaces which will be established in or near resettlement centres.
Protection
- UNICEF is supporting the District Directorate of Social Action in Mutarara district to organise a registration campaign to register orphans, the ill and other vulnerable groups in resettlement centres, in order to assess the numbers in need of additional support.
- Support has been being provided to the Ministry of the Interior to strengthen the police presence in resettlement centres as a contribution to ensuring a protective environment.
- The Protection Cluster is currently procuring emergency supplies, including OVC kits, for the most vulnerable households in the resettlement centres.
- Focal points for Child Protection and Gender-based Violence have been identified in all clusters to ensure that relevant issues are adequately addressed across all sectors.
Logistics and telecommunication support
- The VSAT in Caia is operational and its coverage is being expanded as more humanitarian partners move to the affected areas. In addition a BGAN has been installed at the UN premises to increase connectivity for the HCT partners.
- World Vision has an operational VSAT in Mutarara and the ECT Cluster is currently exploring the possibility of linking to this existing VSAT. In addition a BGAN will be installed for use by the deployed UNICEF team and other partners.
Inter-Agency Collaboration and Key Partnerships
- The UN OCHA staff member arrived on 13 January and is based in the RCO to support overall coordination of humanitarian partners and facilitate information management. In cooperation with the Humanitarian Country Team, the CERF proposal was finalised and submitted on 15 January. UNICEF developed the proposals for the four clusters in which it is the lead and incorporated comments received from ESARO and NYHQ.
- All Clusters continue to conduct regular meetings to provide updates on the situation and coordination the response. All Clusters have deployed staff to the field. UNICEF is leading the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Education, Protection and Nutrition clusters ensuring the effective coordination of the clusters at central level and in the various field locations.
