UN agencies continue relief work in Mozambique

(New York: 6 March 2007): Two weeks on from the second major disaster to hit the country in 2007, the Government of Mozambique is leading the dual response to severe flooding in the Zambezi River Valley and the impact of tropical cyclone Favio in the south-central district of Inhambane, with the support of United Nations agencies and their non-governmental partners.

An air bridge to ferry food from Beira, the country's second city, to Caia, the focal point of relief efforts for the Zambezi River Valley, has been established, with one helicopter operational and a second due to come on stand-by in the next few days. The World Food Programme (WFP) has provided a Cessna airplane for the air bridge, and has purchased some 1,700 metric tonnes (MT) of maize meal locally, using funds provided by the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). All accommodation centres sheltering the displaced have been provided with one to two weeks' food supplies.

More than 58 per cent of shelter needs for the total affected population in the Zambezi area will be covered by existing commitments, with the non-governmental organization (NGO) Caritas pledging to provide shelter for at least 1,220 families. As for shelter needs in the cyclone affected area, and particularly in the resort town of Vilanculos where the cyclone first made landfall, no long-term displacement is foreseen as people are already returning and beginning repairs to their homes. The major need at present is for roofing materials, and for expertise in incorporating cyclone risk reduction into the rebuilding process.

In terms of clean water needs, the secondary water system in Vilanculos, powered by diesel generators, is providing water to 60 per cent of the city. The primary water supply system, linked to an electrical grid, remains out of order. Additionally, three solar powered water supply systems are operational, and four water bladders have been provided. Meanwhile, the Government and its international partners have agreed on a division of labour in the accommodation centres housing those displaced by both disasters in order to ensure that water, sanitation and hygiene needs are met. Among other priority initiatives, more latrines are to be built in the Caia area.

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the NGO Save the Children, as education cluster leads, are providing learning materials to accommodation centres and school tents to areas without schools.

On the funding front, nearly $9.6 million has been made available from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for the emergency response to the flooding to date. Additionally, the United Nations agencies and NGO partners plan to launch a Response Plan to support their activities in Mozambique, which will seek to complement the national rehabilitation plan expected to be launched by the Government in the coming week.

For further information, please call: Stephanie Bunker, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 5126, mobile +1 917 892 1679; Kristen Knutson, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 9262; Elisabeth Byrs, OCHA-Geneva, +41 22 917 2653, mobile, +41 79 473 4570. OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org or www.reliefweb.int.