Flash Flood - Africa - Mozambique

Source: Gibiru.com – 2/25/13, Written by RSOE EDIS

EDIS Number: FF-20130225-38314-MOZ
Date / time: 25/02/2013 14:12:11 [UTC]
Event: Flash Flood
Area: Africa
Country: Mozambique
State/County: Southern Regions
Location: [Mainly in Gaza Province]
Number of Affected: 238000 person(s)
Number of Evacuated: 186000 person(s)
Damage level: Large

Torrential rains continue to cause flooding in large areas of Mozambique affecting 238,000 people and of those 186,000 have been forced to flee their homes for safety. Both the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers have burst their banks and humanitarian agencies are working in clusters to provide assistance and shelter to the homeless.

Dorothy Francis is an emergency expert of the International Federation of the Red Cross’s Disaster and Crisis team. She is helping to coordinate relief efforts for those displaced by the flooding in southern Mozambique and said the flooding is still concentrated in the Gaza Province. Francis described the situation of the displaced as “living in the open, under trees and seeking refuge wherever they can. In addition to that we now have the rains beginning in central Mozambique in the Zambezia area. And here we have currently 33,000 people and the forecast is for more rain in the coming days. So it’s not getting better it seems to be getting worse.”

Francis said right now the Red Cross is conducting extensive water, sanitation and health activities. She explained, “we are providing more sanitation support in transit camps, in Chokwe in particular, where we are spraying to keep down the breeding of mosquitoes; helping with the construction of latrines; helping with the removal of waste and giving what we call hygiene promotion classes.” Francis said the classes help teach people how to keep their hands clean, how to handle food and how to take care of their children.