Maputo, Mozambique, February 20, 2007 World Vision is responding to Mozambique's worst flooding in six years by delivering emergency food, survival kits, water purifiers, tents, fuel and mosquito nets to families who have fled their homes. The Christian aid agency aims to help more than 50,000 of the 120,000 who have been displaced or evacuated so far.

"Conditions are appalling throughout Mutarara, one of the worst-affected districts. Most of the roads and farmlands are underwater," said Joseph Kamara, World Vision's Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs Coordinator. "What makes this situation frightening is that things could get even worse," he added, referring to forecasts calling for continued rain in the weeks ahead --along with tropical cyclone Favio, due to make landfall in Mozambique on Thursday.

World Vision has already provided aid to some 10,000 people in hard-hit Zambezia and Tete provinces, distributing 150 metric tons of World Food Program food in the district of Mutarara alone. Experts fear these could be Mozambique's worst floods since 2001, when hundreds were killed and nearly half a million displaced.

Kamara reported that he saw "islands of people" still scattered across the flooded areas during an aerial assessment of Mutarara yesterday. Because so many roads are inaccessible, aid is being delivered by air and boat.

With growing concern of possible disease outbreaks, World Vision is stepping up its interventions. To protect displaced families from malaria and other insect-borne epidemics, World Vision will deliver 20,000 mosquito nets to temporary accommodation centers in Mutarara over the next few days.

"It looked as if we were going to be have an excellent harvest this year," said Alexandre Faite, Mutarara's District Administrator. "Not anymore," he told World Vision relief staff.

END

World Vision staff in the region are available for interviews. To schedule an interview or for more information, contact Rachel Wolff at 253.815.2072 or rwolff@worldvision.org.

Notes to Editors: · When massive floods hit southern Africa in 2001, World Vision assisted 80,000 people in Mozambique with food, seeds and agricultural support, health services and the rehabilitation of roads. · World Vision has worked in Mozambique since 1984. Current programs focus on agriculture, maternal and child health and nutrition, AIDS prevention and care, water sanitation, rehabilitation of rural infrastructure, and emergency relief.

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. For more information, please visit www.worldvision.org/press.