Mozambique humanitarian situation update, 28 January 2008.
Major Developments
As of the 28 January, the levels of the Zambeze River have increased due to rainfall across central provinces and in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi over the last 72 hours. The levels of the Chire, Revubue and Buzi rivers continue to increase, the Save river continues to decrease and the Limpopo river is fluctuating with a tendency to increase depending on rainfall.
Discharges from the Cahora Bassa Dam have been decreased to 3,600 cubic meters per second.
Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected to continue in northern and central Mozambique as well as in Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia, over the coming days.
The total number of people relocated to resettlement centres stands at 94,770. Of these, a total of 82,518 are in the Zambeze valley.
In a number of flood-affected areas, families who were sheltering in schools have been relocated to resettlement or transitory centres so that classes could resume in time for the start of the new school year on 28 January.
UNICEF Response
Management and coordination
- The WASH Cluster successfully concluded a planning meeting in Caia from the 23-25 January. Four provincial water directorates, representatives from the district authorities in each of the affected districts and members of the Humanitarian Country Team conducted the planning exercise. Three main strategies were identified aimed at improving access to and use of water supply and sanitation facilities and promoting safe hygiene practices. Activities will be implemented in close collaboration with local leaders and community representatives through existing community structures and mechanisms. Coordination and collaboration with other clusters (such as Health and Education) will be reinforced to maximise the impact of the Cluster’s interventions.
- It has been agreed that UNICEF will work with INGC and partners in Maputo and in Caia to recruit and train enumerators to verify the numbers of displaced populations, by resettlement centre and district, in each of the affected areas. The data collected and analysed will be used by the INGC and all humanitarian partners to ensure that the needs of all those affected by the floods are met.
Health and Nutrition
- A rapid nutrition assessment is on-going in Mutarara district; in Mpane and Tchetcha resettlement centres, jointly conducted by DDS and UNICEF field staff. To date, of 386 children, 31 were found to be moderately malnourished and were subsequently given corn soya blend (CSB) as part of the supplementary feeding programme. Two children were assessed as severely malnourished and referred to Charre-Sede health centre for therapeutic feeding.
- 16,000 malaria nets provided by UNICEF and partners will be transported to flood-affected areas this week. A house-spraying programme is underway in Caia district. Other malaria prevention initiatives carried out by UNICEF, CVM and DDS in all flood-affected areas include multimedia mobile units, community theatre activities, distribution of IEC materials and community radio broadcasting of radio spots on malaria.
- Multimedia mobile units, which include cholera and HIV prevention activities, are on-going in resettlement centres in Caia. In addition, community theatre activities covering cholera prevention, hygiene promotion, malaria and HIV prevention will be carried out in 13 resettlement centres over the next three weeks.
- Training of 30 activists on promotion of good hygiene and health practices has been concluded. The activists are now returning to the Caia area to begin hygiene and health promotion activities as part of a CVM programme in resettlement centres. A second round of Ministry of Health / CVM training of an additional 20 activists starts 28 January.
Water and Sanitation
- With support from partners, a water filtration unit has been successfully installed in the MSF-managed water system (bladder tank) in Bawe resettlement centre, Mutarara district.
- The distribution of latrine slabs and plastic sheeting continues in Mutarara district. Water pump spares and additional materials have arrived in Sena and will be used to carry out urgent repair of hand pumps.
- WASH Cluster partners have identified the scope and geographical coverage for the WASH emergency response in Mutarara district. Oxfam will cover the Doa area and will provide support to the Sabandara, Ankuaze and Missochi resettlement centres as well as to the centres between Charre and Mandua. World Vision is currently carrying out rapid assessments and will initiate activities based upon findings.
- During the WASH Cluster planning meeting held in Caia on 25 January, it was agreed that a primary focus for partners will be on strengthening monitoring and supervision capacities of local WASH authorities at all levels in order to ensure both quality and timely service delivery, as well as adequate emergency planning and preparedness.
Education
- In Mutarara district, assessments were conducted with district education authorities to identify appropriate sites for school tents and latrines in Njanjanja, Nkuleche and Mandua resettlement centres.
- UNICEF and partners are conducting girls’ education awareness activities in approximately 20 resettlement centres in flood-affected areas across the Zambeze river basin through mobile media units and support to community theatre groups.
- UNICEF is working with district education authorities and partners to strengthen the functioning of school councils in Mopeia district, and to monitor the launch of the new school year and the distribution of text books in resettlement centres across the district.
- Distribution and installation of school tents has started in Machanga, Dondo and Buzi districts. School supplies for Mutarara and Caia districts will be distributed by UNICEF and partners over the coming week.
- As agreed through the Education Cluster, distribution of school supplies for Zambezia province is being carried out by Cluster partners Concern and Save the Children Alliance. In Govuro district in Inhambane, Samaritan’s Purse oversaw the installation of two school tents on the 26 January and distribution of learning and teaching materials for 4,000 children and 50 teachers.
Protection
- Police staff who have been trained by the Department of Women and Children have arrived in Caia. 15 police officers were deployed in total, six of whom will specifically assist with protection issues.
- A team from the Provincial Department of Women and Social Action (DPMAS) arrived in Mopeia on 26 January to support activities in all of the resettlement centres in the district. The team is conducting assessments of the status of women and children in the centres. It is also providing training for activists and community leaders on awareness raising of child protection and gender-based violence issues, and on identifying and reporting cases of abuse.
- The number of Protection Cluster members in the field is increasing. Activities implemented include identification and registration of orphans and vulnerable children, and sensitisation on child protection and gender-based violence issues at local levels.
Logistics and telecommunications support
- Two warehouses for non-food items (NFI) and two for food items are currently available in Caia. WFP and UNICEF are sharing warehouse space and all UNICEF supplies are currently housed in one of the warehouses allocated to NFIs.
- The Logistics Cluster is preparing a comprehensive delivery plan for all humanitarian partners that includes road, air (helicopter) and river (barge) transport. Inventory summaries are being updated daily.
- Currently all IT and telecommunication services are fully operational in Caia, Mopeia and Mutarara. UNICEF provides data services to INGC and humanitarian partners, while WFP is responsible for voice services. To accommodate increasing connectivity needs by the humanitarian community in Caia, the Telecommunications Cluster (WFP and UNICEF) is working with the local service provider to upgrade the bandwidth of the VSAT station.
Inter-Agency Collaboration and Key Partnerships
- Members of the Mozambican Humanitarian Clusters have been drafting Cluster-based proposals for the Sub-regional Request which incorporate immediate humanitarian assistance needs and priority early recovery measures for the next six months. The Humanitarian Country Team met with partners from the donor community on 28 January to review the draft inputs and present the funding request proposals.
- A high level mission from UNICEF and UNAIDS visited the flood-affected areas 24-25 January. The visit included meetings with the INGC National Director and participation in the daily coordination meeting at the Caia CENOE. The mission met with the UNICEF Caia and Mutarara teams and partner organisations and visited Bawe resettlement centre in Mutarara to assess the response on the ground. The mission also reviewed logistics mechanisms and challenges with the teams and with INGC and included visits to the Caia warehouses.
For more information, please contact:
Lisa Doherty
Emergency Officer
Tel: +258 82 3179160
ldoherty@unicef.org
Thierry Delvigne-Jean
Communication Specialist
Tel: +258 82 3121820
tdelvignejean@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
