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Thousands of Families Threatened by Severe Flooding in Mozambique
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| Waters of the flooded Zambezi River edge towards homes near Caia in north-central Mozambique REUTERS/Grant Neuenburg (MOZAMBIQUE) courtesy www.alertnet.org |
Westport, Conn. (March 1, 2007) — With thousands of children and families left homeless by flooding along the Zambezi River and the exacerbating impact of Cyclone Flávio, Save the Children is working to address the immediate survival, health and education needs of children displaced by the disasters.
According to government and news reports, more than 163,000 people have been forced out of their homes due to rising waters from both heavy rains in January and the tropical storm last week. Cyclone Flávio has caused significant hardship in four northern districts of Inhambane Province, including substantial damage to homes. Currently, 106,000 people have moved into 53 temporary accommodation centers spread across four provinces.
"Children — especially poor children — are extremely vulnerable during a natural disaster and the children of Mozambique have been hit by two devastating events in the span of a few weeks" said Rudy Von Bernuth, head of Save the Children's emergencies unit. "We are working to ensure that the children who have gone through this difficult event are not put at further risk because they cannot get enough to eat or because they might miss out on their education."
To date, Save the Children has distributed food rations to 18,000 people in camps in Mopeia and Chimura. The agency also has provided 10 tons of maize meal, five tons of beans and 500 liters of cooking oil to Tambara for distribution to communities. Approximately 500 household kits were distributed to a community in Morrumbala affected by the floods, while plastic sheeting and latrines were delivered to Tambara.
To ensure that the children's education continues despite adverse conditions, Save the Children has distributed 3,000 learning kits in Mopeia and 110 delivered in Tambara. In addition, the agency has identified locations for 30 temporary, tented schools, which will be established in the coming week. Learning kits for children and 30 school kits for teachers will be provided for each tent school.
Save the Children also plans to distribute community awareness brochures, which advise what to do during floods, cyclones and other natural disasters to communities in the affected areas.
You can help Save the Children respond to emergencies that put at great risk the survival, protection, and well-being of significant numbers of children. By contributing to the Children’s Emergency Fund, you enable us to respond immediately to children and families who urgently need our help when disasters strike.
