Mozambique humanitarian situation update, 8 February 2008
Major Developments Flood response As of 08 February, the water levels along the Zambeze, Buzi, Limpopo, Pungoe, save and Chire are stabilising. The Licungo river has increased slightly due to rainfall from neighbouring countries. Discharges from the Cahora Bassa Dam stabilised at 3,900 cubic meters per second. Low to moderate rainfall is forecast for 8-11 February over the central and northern provinces and for the neighbouring countries of Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi. The total number of people relocated to resettlement centres across the five provinces affected by flooding now stands at 100,599. Ofthese, a total of 86,967 are in the Zambeze valley area. Electrical power has been returned to Mutarara Town by a temporary connection via Bawe and using the high tension pylons from Cahorra Bassa to carry cables. The overall situation in Mutarara district is worsening as all the new resettlement centres in Inhangoma, previously considered safe, are now under water. Rescue operations continue to ensure that the population in the flood-affected areas are on higher ground before the spill gates of the Lake Kariba Dam are opened, but these operations are hampered by a lack of fuel and are only carried out with small boats. Insecurity in Maputo The riots and unrest in Maputo, related to the increase in public transportation fares, have subdued, with no further incidents reported. The Minister of Transport and Communications has reached an agreement with the Association of Road Transporters to extend the negotiations on bus fares until 15 February. UNICEF Response to the Zambeze Floods Management and coordination The coordination of the emergency response for Zambezia province, covering all affected districts including Mopeia, Morrumbala, Mopeia, Maganja da Costa and Chinde, is taking place in Quelimane, where daily briefings are being held as well as weekly briefings chaired by the Governor. In addition, partners in the area are compiling reports based on information from all partners. These reports will be regularly updated by the Emergency Operations Centre. Coordination in Caia and Mutarara continues through daily briefings at the Emergency Operations Centre, as well as through the working groups that have been established by the INGC and which are attended by the Cluster partners in the field. Health and nutrition As a response to the number of increasing diarrhoea cases (clinically diagnosed as cholera) in the flood-affected areas, UNICEF and partners have distributed an additional health tent to the local health authorities in Caia. The tent will be used as a Cholera Treatment Centre if the need arises. The local health authorities in Caia district have conducted nutritional screening in almost all resettlement centres. Nutrition screening continues to be carried out by Nutrition Cluster members in coordination with District Health officials in Mutarara and Mopeia. In Mutarara, a total of 1,301 children have been screened: 108 were found to be moderately malnourished and ten severely malnourished. Corn Soya Blend has been provided to the moderately malnourished children. In Mopeia, a total of 1,142 children has been screened so far, with 50 children found to be moderately malnourished and subsequently administered Corn Soya Blend. While carrying out nutrition screening activities, approximately 2,000 children received vitamin A and 2,100 children received de-worming treatment. The distribution of 6,000 nets in Mopeia district has started. MSF will complete the distribution of 1,500 nets by 9 February, while Save the Children Alliance will start distribution on 10 February. UNICEF and partners will monitor the distribution and review the distribution plan to include the needs in Zona Verde. An additional 16,000 mosquito nets have arrived in Caia and will be dispatched to Mutarara shortly. Water and sanitation Caia town has been without water for two days. UNICEF, in cooperation with the district water authorities transported two water treatment plants from Beira to Caia town. Both water treatment plants have been installed and access to safe water has been restored. In Mopeia district, UNICEF, in coordination with DAS-Zambeze, has taken over responsibility from MSF to provide water trucking in Zona Verde and 24 de Julho resettlement centres. Currently, a total of over 2,700 families receive water through this means. In addition, UNICEF is providing support to the repair of three water treatment plants in Nzanza and Noere resettlement centres. As a result of WASH emergency response to date, approximately 715 latrines and 175 communal latrines have been constructed in Caia and Mutarara, providing access to sanitation facilities to over 7,000 people. Education Cluster partner Save the Children Alliance and UNICEF continue the distribution of school materials in Mopeia district. As of 6 February, 2,659 children and 36 teachers in four resettlement centres have received learner’s kits and teacher’s kits and are attending school. Save the Children Alliance is re-assessing the numbers of pupils in all centres to obtain the latest figures and plan for further distribution. In Mutarara district, five school tents have been installed so far and children are attending classes, with several school sessions held daily. The distribution of school kits is ongoing and follows the distribution plan agreed with the local education authorities. UNICEF in coordination with local education authorities is re-assessing the situation of schools in Inhangoma area, in light of the new situation where many people are being re-evacuated from flooded resettlement centres. In order to ensure that all geographical areas are covered and all children will have access to education, Cluster partner Action Aid has agreed to focus their response in Chemba district, Sofala province, an area not yet assisted by anyone. Action Aid efforts will also strategically complement those of World Vision and UNICEF in the Mutarara area. Protection A coordination meeting with cluster partners has been held in order to establish mechanisms for the distribution of OVC kits at field level. Criteria for eligibility are currently being developed in coordination with local authorities. Cluster partner Action Aid is planning a series of workshops in four resettlement centres (Bawe, Charre, Mandua, Gopane) in Mutarara on child rights and prevention of gender-based violence. The participatory workshops are conducted by the trained local Disaster Management Committees, already present in the resettlement centres. From 8 February, Cluster partner Save the Children Alliance will be conducting a training on child protection for activistas in resettlement centres. In addition, with the approved CERF funds, Save the Children Alliance will establish 20 child-friendly spaces in the flood-affected areas starting with two sites in Mopeia on 10 February. UNICEF will provide recreational kits to the child-friendly spaces. UNICEF, in coordination with Handicap International, has dispatched mine risk educational leaflets to Mutarara district to be used in the new transit centre where UXOs have been identified. The government authorities are expected to conduct a detailed assessment of the situation, with a view of sharing results with all partners once they are available. Logistics and telecommunications support UNICEF is procuring four generators for Mutarara and Caia. One generator will be allocated to the Mutarara District Hospital while the other three will serve for the UNICEF bases in Mutarara and Caia, in case of further electricity failures. One 10Mt boat and one 8Mt boat have been made available for the transportation of supplies to and from Mutarara. The ferry between Mutarara and Sena is not operational; a large barge of 30Mt is awaited and will serve as means of transport up and down the river. Currently, two non-food items (NFI) and three food warehouses are available in Caia. One wijkhal will be sent to Mutarara to be used as a non-food item storage facility. UNICEF has sent a request to OCHA Brindisi (Italy) for additional WASH, health and education NFI supplies. This request is being processed with support from OCHA Maputo. In addition, UNICEF is compiling a list of additional supplies to be procured locally and from overseas, in anticipation of a deteriorating humanitarian situation in the latter part of February. The supplies will be pre-positioned in various hubs, for distribution to partners and affected populations. Inter-agency collaboration and key partnerships All clusters continue to meet on a regular basis to share information on the situation and to coordinate the emergency response in the flood-affected areas. Tools have been developed to monitor implementation, geographical coverage and distribution of supplies for each Cluster. For more information, please contact: Thierry Delvigne-Jean Lynda DeGuire Lisa Doherty Annelien Groten
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