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UN Agencies in Mozambique seek US$17.7 million for 435,000 flood and cyclone affected people
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
United Nations (UN)
13 March 2007
SARPN acknowledges OCHA as the source of this information: http://ochaonline.un.org/
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(Johannesburg, 13 March 2007): The United Nations and its humanitarian partners yesterday launched a Flash Appeal for US$17.7 million to support the Mozambican government’s response to humanitarian needs arising from severe flooding that began in February and from the impact of Cyclone Favio, which struck Vilanculos on 22 February. The funds will be used to provide relief and recovery assistance for 435,000 affected people for a period of up to six months. The Appeal comes in response to the Government’s US$71 million Recovery and Reconstruction Plan launched on 5 March, which focuses on the resettlement of people, the reactivation of agricultural production, water supplies and roads, health and educational support, the reconstruction of public infrastructure and rapid recovery support to the private sector.
Since the beginning of February, torrential rains caused rivers to overflow – including the Zambezi – and increased pressure on dams, which resulted in widespread flooding in the central and southern parts of Mozambique. Mozambique’s National Institute of Disaster Management estimates that 285,000 people have been affected by the floods; of these 163,000 have been displaced and are now sheltered in accommodation sites and resettlement centres. It is also estimated that more than 150,000 people were affected by Cyclone Favio.
“I commend the Government on its quick and timely response. The planning and preparedness by disaster management authorities there has meant that despite dam levels comparable to those of 2000-2001, this has so far been a significant but not catastrophic disaster,” said John Holmes, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. “The leadership shown by the national authorities has allowed the UN and its partners to support where and as needed to ensure that the people affected are able to rebuild their lives as quickly as possible. “
While the Government has allocated funds to respond to the impacts of the flood and cyclone, national resources are not sufficient to meet the humanitarian needs of the affected populations. In addition, after more than 40 days of extensive relief operations, the in-country supplies of the international humanitarian community are fast running out, prompting the UN to seek urgent funding to continue humanitarian activities.
Immediate needs include food security, health and nutrition, shelter, child protection, education, logistics and coordination. Initial funding from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) in the amount of US$9.6 million, as well as other donors, has been made available to the United Nations agencies to enable them to jump-start their activities ahead of the anticipated donor response to the Flash Appeal. Other donors have also expressed support for the relief activities; for example, ECHO immediately released euro 4 million soon after the flood waters rose in central Mozambique and the cyclone swept through the eastern coast. USAID has also provided funding for emergency activities and is considering several projects for additional support.
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;
Michelle Thulkanam, OCHA-Southern Africa. +27 11 517 1635, mobile + 27 82 4111 442.
OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org or www.reliefweb.int.
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