Mozambique humanitarian situation update, 18 January 2008.
Major Developments
As of the 17 January, the level of the Zambeze River remains high and above alert levels in Caia, Marromeu and Mutarara and has surpassed the peaks experienced in 2007 in both Caia and Marromeu.
Discharges from the Cahora Bassa Dam have been decreased to 5,200 cubic meters per second.
The forecast of more rains in Zambia and Malawi could worsen the situation downstream of the Cahora Bassa Dam over the coming days.
The INGC is reporting that a total number of approximately 71,000 people have been relocated to resettlement centres across the flood affected districts to date.
Search and rescue operations conducted by the military are continuing in all affected areas using boats and any other transport means available.
The official number of deaths resulting from the flooding is now seven (four drowned and three attacked by crocodiles).
FAO is reporting that a total of 80,000 hectares of arable land has been lost due to the flooding.
Preliminary Assessments
Mopeia
- A team consisting of INGC, WFP and UNAIDS (in co-ordination with UNICEF) visited two resettlement centres in Mopeia district where 1,225 new families have arrived.
- The team found that priority needs in the centres included mosquito nets, latrines and school tents. Access to water and health facilities are generally sufficient as amenities were installed in the resettlement centres subsequent to the 2007 floods.
Chinde
- A team consisting of INGC, WFP and UNICEF visited the Chinde area of lower Zambezia by helicopter.
- The preliminary assessment found that 100 newly displaced families have been relocated to areas where families resettled in 2007 and as a result, have access to basic services. However, up to an additional 1,700 displaced families may be evacuated from nearby islands if the waters continue to rise.
Chemba
- As part of the inter-agency multi-sectoral mission deployed to assess the food security situation in flood-affected areas, a team including UNICEF and WFP visited Chemba district.
- The numbers of newly displaced in the district are low, however, it was noted that four thousand families have lost access to 6,000 hectares of arable land.
Mutarara
- The team consisting of UNICEF and partners was invited, together with the Provincial Director of Health for Tete, to join an assessment visit to a newly established resettlement centre called Procura in Mutarara which was intended as the new destination for those being moved from the flooded resettlement centres of Jardim and Samarucha. This centre was also found to be flooded. An alternative of relocating the displaced to two other existing centres requiring considerable logistics support is ongoing.
Doa
- Over 3,000 people have been relocated to two resettlement centres in Doa which were assessed in coordination with Oxfam and the District Director of Health from Mutarara.
- It was noted that one of the resettlement centres has two water points and only 12 latrines. Shelter materials are urgently required in both centres, as is food assistance and medicine.
- 16 cases of diarrhoea have been reported in the locality, some of which are associated with malaria.
Charre
- A total of 3,581 people are living in the Bawe resettlement centre in Charre locality, of which 1,658 are newly arrived.
- The assessment team consisting of UNICEF and partners found that in general, the conditions in the centre are poor. The newly displaced are temporarily accommodated under trees and in two UNICEF school tents installed during the 2007 floods.
- Water and sanitation facilities are in place but need to be supplemented as an increasing number of families arrive from evacuated areas and other flooded resettlement centres.
- INGC are carrying out identification of OVC in Bawe resettlement centre and has identified 30 children living with extended family members.
- CVM have established a health post in the centre which is covering the needs of new and previous residents.
Caia
- The assessment team consisting of UNICEF and partners conducted rapid assessments of four resettlement centres in Caia district to which a total of approximately 600 displaced people have been relocated.
- Water sources are largely intact in the centres although the Medico Chefe has expressed concern regarding sanitation in four further centres nearby.
UNICEF Response
Management and coordination
- The two UNICEF teams based in Caia and Mutarara continue to conduct rapid assessments in the resettlement centres in coordination with INGC and district line ministry counterparts. Assessment findings are reported to 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.
- Regular sectoral and cluster consultations between the programme and operations teams in Maputo and the field based teams provide the basis for day to day coordination of the UNICEF response. As results of the assessments are received, immediate action is initiated to ensure timely and effective response.
- Conference calls are held with the two teams in the field three times a week – on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and provide the basis for a consolidated overview of progress in each sector and cluster, and areas that require Country Office level decision and action.
Health and Nutrition
- Cholera beds and protective equipment have been distributed to provincial authorities in affected areas. The supplies will be distributed to flood-affected districts if required.
- Malaria prevention initiatives are on-going including the distribution of 15,000 insecticide treated nets to-date. Community radios are broadcasting malaria prevention spots on a regular basis.
- Community radios are broadcasting health and hygiene messages and mobile media units are conducting social mobilisation and outreach activities in resettlement centres.
- Nutrition activities, including malnutrition surveillance, have started in resettlement centres in Sofala province and are planned to for the other affected provinces from 21 January.
- The inter-agency multi-sectoral assessment on food security and nutrition in flood-affected areas has been successfully concluded. Data analysis will take place daily from 21-25 January. A final report is to be expected on 25 January.
Water and Sanitation
- The WASH Cluster assessment is on-going in the most affected areas in cooperation with the INGC and provincial and district authorities.
- Seven water treatment plants are being distributed in the Caia and Mopeia areas to ensure access to safe water for displaced populations. UNICEF is providing support to locate and distribute the water treatment plants.
- New supplies including plastic sheeting for latrines, latrine slabs and hygiene kits are due to arrive in Caia on the 19 January and will be distributed thereafter to resettlement centres in the affected areas.
- Plans have been finalised to rehabilitate water points in resettlement centres in order to ensure the medium and longer term availability of safe water, as part of the integrated approach to recovery programming even in the early days of the humanitarian response. WASH technical staff have been deployed to monitor and coordinate the construction and rehabilitation process. Contractors have been identified to drill boreholes in resettlement centres in the Buzi and Pungue areas and in Mutarara district.
- A distribution list for PUR has been developed by the UNICEF team for distribution of the 200,000 PUR sachets which will arrive in Caia 19 January. IEC materials on how to use PUR will be distributed to ensure the sachets are used safely.
- The national water authorities and the WASH Cluster are developing a concrete emergency response plan which will be discussed and finalised in a three-day meeting to take place in Caia from 24-27 January. The plan will take into consideration all WASH-related issues including medium-term needs.
Education
- The Education Cluster is mobilising education materials and school tents to operational hubs in the flood-affected areas. Under agreements developed with the Cluster partners, UNICEF’s pre-positioned supplies will be distributed to schools in affected districts by NGO partners in Zambezia and Manica provinces, and by UNICEF in Sofala and Tete provinces.
- A plan is in place to ensure that all schools have access to education and recreation materials for learners and didactic materials for teachers, and that temporary learning spaces are established where required, in advance of the beginning of the new school year on 28 January.
Protection
- Training organised by UNICEF, UNFPA and Save the Children on Protection and Prevention of Gender-based Violence has successfully been concluded in Quelimane and is on-going in Beira with plans to begin in Tete next week. Participants include provincial and district level focal points from the Ministry of Women and Social Action and representatives from national NGOs.
- Support has been provided to the Ministry of the Interior to strengthen the presence of police officers, trained on protection issues, in resettlement centres in order to ensure a protective environment.
Logistics and telecommunication support
- The ECT Cluster has expanded the coverage of the VSAT in Caia to accommodate the growing numbers of humanitarian partners that are currently active in the flood-affected areas. A wireless network is now available in the INGC’s Emergency Operations Centre (CENOE) in Caia.
- World Vision has confirmed that a replacement modem for its VSAT in Mutarara is being shipped from Nampula on 18 January to reach Mutarara on 19 January. UNICEF will provide support to configure the World Vision VSAT so that all humanitarian partners based in the district have access. Actions will be monitored closely in order to establish connectivity as quickly as possible. In the meantime, UNICEF has installed a BGAN in Mutarara for use by the deployed team and other partners as to ensure full connectivity.
- UNHASS/WFP has provided logistical support of 1 helicopter (with capacity for 2.5 tonnes and 20 passengers) in Caia for use by the INGC and humanitarian partners.
Inter-Agency Collaboration and Key Partnerships
A joint Government of Mozambique / Humanitarian Country Team meeting will take place on 21 January to update the donor community in Mozambique on the emergency situation and the emergency response so far by the government and humanitarian partners.
At the UN Retreat which was held on 16 and 17 January, the UN Country Team agreed that the UNDMT would become the HCTWG in 2008. This change is in line with the recently approved HCT Inter-agency Contingency Plan. The HCTWG is comprised of cluster leads/UN agency cluster focal points and is chaired by the WFP Representative and vice chaired by the UNICEF Representative.
For more information, please contact:
Thierry Delvigne-Jean
Communication Specialist
Tel: +258 82 3121820
tdelvignejean@unicef.org
Lisa Doherty
Emergency Focal Point
Tel: +258 82 3179160
ldoherty@unicef.org
Annelien Groten
UNICEF Emergency Situation Centre
Tel: +258 84 2354355
agroten@unicef.org
Lynda DeGuire
UNICEF Emergency Situation Centre
Tel: +258 82 784 9501
ldeguire@unicef.org
