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Southern Africa: Floods
Southern Africa: Floods
Date distributed (ymd): 000213
Document reposted by APIC
+++++++++++++++++++++Document Profile+++++++++++++++++++++
Region: Southern Africa
Issue Areas: +economy/development+
Summary Contents:
This posting contains several items on the floods that have
devastated parts of southern Africa over the last week.
Particularly hard hit were southern and central Mozambique,
eastern South Africa, Botswana and Swaziland. An estimated
100,000 people in the Mozambican capital Maputo have been made
homeless by the floods.
The first two items below are from the UN's Integrated
Regional Information Service (IRIN). The last is translated
from the web site Mocambique on-line
(http://www.tropical.co.mz/~wim/moclinks.html), as of February
13, 2000. Those who read Portuguese are encouraged to consult
the wide range of Mozambican sources available from links
on that site.
+++++++++++++++++end profile++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Integrated Regional Information Network for Southern Africa
IRIN-SA - Tel: +2711 880 4633
Fax: +2711 880 1421
e-mail: irin-sa@irin.org.za
[This item is delivered in the English service of the UN's
IRIN humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily
reflect the views of the United Nations. For further
information, free subscriptions, or to change your keywords,
contact e-mail: irin@ocha.unon.org or Web:
http://www.reliefweb.int/IRIN . If you re-print, copy, archive
or re-post this item, please retain this credit and
disclaimer.]
From:
SOUTHERN AFRICA: IRIN-SA
Weekly Round-up 6 covering the period 5-11 February 2000
Southern Africa: Flooding causes havoc across region
Torrential rains over large parts of Southern Africa this week
left a trail of destruction as rivers burst their banks
claiming many lives and sweeping away roads, bridges and
homes. The latest death toll in region was put at over 70
people.
Key border crossings linking South Africa and Mozambique, and
South Africa and Swaziland were cut. The main railway service
between southern Mozambique and Zimbabwe was also severed.
Botswana's main north-south road artery and the railway line
linking it with South Africa and Zimbabwe had to be closed
because of severe flooding.
Mozambique
In Mozambique as the Incomati, Umbeluzi and Sabie Rivers rose
to their highest levels ever recorded, a major international
humanitarian relief operation swung into action to bring
relief to tens of thousands of flood victims. In a statement,
the Mozambique government said that it estimated that it would
need about US $15 million to fully rehabilitate flood-stricken
areas. It said that US $2.7 million was needed for the initial
emergency response.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
sent an assessment team to assist the Resident Coordinator and
the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) in information gathering,
reporting and appeal contribution management. OCHA said that
it had released US $30,000 from the OCHA Emergency grant.
The United States embassy in Maputo said that it had given US
$25,000 to help support flood relief efforts. Meanwhile, the
Prime Minister of Norway, Kjell Magne Bondevik, announced this
week a donation of US $100,000 to support flood victims.
Bondevik was in Mozambique for talks with President Joaquim
Chissano. The United Kingdom's Department of International
Development has pledged US $30,000 for emergency relief
efforts.
The Belgian chapter of Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF-B) had
already provided doctors, medical supplies and water tanks to
several sites in the capital Maputo and Matola, about 45 km
west of the capital. Neighbouring South Africa, according to
OCHA, provided two cargo helicopters to help rescue people
stranded by rising flood waters. South Africa is also
providing various non-food items such as tents, blankets and
kitchen utensils. UNESCO said that it would monitor the
communications requirements to improve information access to
the affected populations.
In Maputo, about 100,000 people have been affected by the
flooding. WFP said, in its latest update that, about 20,000
people were being sheltered at 14 centres in the city. It said
that 1,000 mt of food, enough to feed 70,000 people for one
month, would be distributed. Authorities in Maputo had also
started rationing water after a treatment plant was flooded.
WFP said that it was also providing 54,655 people with food
aid in other parts of the Maputo Province. "Recent information
indicates that these numbers should increase by about 10
percent," the report said.
In Matola 25 km away, an estimated 100,000 people had been
affected by the floods. It said that 2,000 people were being
housed at 11 sites in the city and that "several cases of
malaria had been reported at some of these sites".
In Xai-Xai, the capital of the southern Gaza Province, 5,000
people had to be resettled. WFP said that this number was
likely to increase as the level of the Limpopo River rose.
WFP said that 6,975 families in Sofala Province in the east
had been affected, with about 34,874 people having to be
evacuated. It said that there was no access to the south of
the province and that the main road to Maputo in the Chibabava
district was also impassable.
In Inhambane Province to the east of the country, flooding
from the Save River had affected the Govuro district in the
north of the province.
Botswana
Meanwhile, Botswana received about three quarters of its
annual rainfall in recent days, severing the country's main
road and rail arteries in what police described this week as
some of the worst floods experienced in the past 30 years.
Foreign Minister Mompati Merafhe said on state radio this week
that 5,100 homes had been destroyed by the floods.
The main route linking Gaborone with the north of the country,
was washed away near the town of Morwa, about 70 km north of
the capital, while crops in many areas were destroyed,
officials said. In Kopong village, about 30 km from Gaborone,
residents had been forced to seek refuge on rooftops after the
Metsimotlhabe river burst its banks.
Local radio broadcast warnings to the public to be alert for
collapsing infrastructure, and people were advised against
attempting to cross fast flowing rivers. Police and the
country's emergency services were assisting people rendered
homeless.
Swaziland
In Swaziland, an estimated 10 rivers in the country had burst
their banks. At least two people had drowned since the rains
began on Saturday afternoon. Swazi Meteorological services
said this week that between Sunday and Monday an estimated 157
millimetres of rain had fallen in the country's capital,
Mbabane. The agriculture ministry's Food and Security Bulletin
said the continuing heavy rains were also threatening the
country's maize supply because fields were becoming
water-logged.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Home Affairs told IRIN this
week that the Mananga border post, between Swaziland and South
Africa's Mpumalanga Province, had been closed because of the
heavy rains.
South Africa
In South Africa, at least 38 people are reported to have died
and thousands left homeless by the heavy rains. One of South
Africa's most well known tourist attractions the Kruger
National Park, has been devastated and forced to close its
gates because of the rain. The damage to the Park is estimated
to be about US $11 million.
In the country's Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Northern Provinces
officials said this week that water levels in all dams were
above 100 percent. Initial estimates for damage to government
infrastructure in the Northern Province has been put at US $33
million.
An IRIN Focus report on the situation in the region can be
viewed at:
http://www.reliefweb.int/IRIN/sa/countrystories/other/20000208.htm
Johannesburg, 11 February 14:00 GMT
Mozambique: Humanitarian operation swings into action
[Source: IRIN web site (http://www.reliefweb.int/IRIN)]
JOHANNESBURG, 10 February (IRIN) - A major international
humanitarian relief operation has swung into action in
Mozambique to bring relief to tens of thousands of people left
homeless by devastating flood waters. In a statement, the
Mozambique government said that it estimated that it would
need about US $15 million to fully rehabilitate flood-stricken
areas. It said that US $2.7 million was needed for the initial
emergency response.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
is sending an assessment team to assist the Resident
Coordinator and WFP in information gathering, reporting and
appeal contribution management. UNESCO will monitor the
communications requirements to improve information access to
the affected populations. The Belgian chapter of Medecins sans
Frontieres (MSF-B) has already provided doctors, medical
supplies and water tanks to several sites in Maputo and
Matola.
Neighbouring South Africa, according to OCHA, has provided two
cargo helicopters to help rescue people stranded by rising
flood waters. South Africa is also providing various non-food
items such as tents, blankets and kitchen utensils. The United
States embassy in Maputo said that it had given US $25,000 to
help support flood relief efforts. Meanwhile, the Prime
Minister of Norway, Kjell Magne Bondevik, announced on Tuesday
a donation of US $100,000 to support flood victims. Bondevik
was in Mozambique for talks with President Joaquim Chissano.
"UN agencies met on several occasions to coordinate UN action
including assessments, information gathering, reporting and
contributions," a WFP statement said on Thursday. "Staff from
FAO, UNICEF, WFP and WHO have been identified to work on this
emergency full-time. WHO will call a team from Harare to
assist in health assessment. UNICEF is calling forward medical
stocks from Copenhagen to address malaria and diarrhea needs."
The flooding has also devastated other neighbouring countries.
After a meeting with the donor community this week, Mozambique
said it would need the following emergency materials:
Item Quantity Approximate cost (USD)
5 meter long inflatable boats 100 1,395,000
Life buoy 1,000 85,170
Life jackets 2,000 147,800
Generator 0.5 kva 50 229,933
Pumps 5 14,900
Torches 5,000 N/A
Tents 3,000 450,000
Tarpaulins 1,000 47,500
50 kg 'sacs' 5,000 2,150
Plastic sheeting 2 x 50m 20,000 30,800
Polypropylene rope 10 x 30 500 37,000
Spades 200 1,771
Hammers for wood and rocks 200 1,562
Wheel barrows 100 3,980
Other tools 32,173
Revolving fund 250,000
TOTAL 2,729,739
Mocambique on-line
http://www.tropical.co.mz/~wim/moclinks.html
Maputo, February 10, 2000
Floods Devastate South of the Country
While Maputo continues without running water, various goods,
such as green vegetables and bottled water, have already
disappeared from store shelves. The outbreak of colera and
other epidemics is feared. Travel between Maputo and South
Africa is possible again, by an emergency opening of the
Maputo-Moamba section of the new Maputo-Witbank highway, which
is still under construction.
The waters of the Incomati River yesterday covered National
route 1 between Manhica and Xinavane and isolated the town of
Magude. In Gaza province the districts of Chicualacuala and
Massangena are the most affected. In Inhambane the road
between Maxixe and the rural hospital of Chicuque is not
passable. In Sofala the town of Muchanga is under water. In
Buzi district there are more than 30,000 people made homeless.
Several bank accounts for support of victims of the floods
have been set up:
- Banco International de Mocambique (BIM),
account number 44330
- Banco de Fomento e Exterior,
account number 1178717
- Banco Comercial de Mocambique (BCM):
account number 9290273.10.01 (in meticais)
account number 9290273.15.01 (in U.S. dollars)
This material is being reposted for wider distribution by the
Africa Policy Information Center (APIC). APIC's primary
objective is to widen international policy debates around
African issues, by concentrating on providing accessible
policy-relevant information and analysis usable by a wide
range of groups and individuals.
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