Norwegian Church Aid has donated 140 000 NOK to assist the flooded regions of Zambia and Mozambique, and an engineer is now en route to Mozambique to assist the relief effort.

More than 100,000 people have lost their homes and over 60,000 have been placed in temporary accommodation as a result of widespread flooding in central and southern parts of Mozambique. The Mozambique national disaster management agency (INGC) has described this year's flooding as more comprehensive and destructive than usual, and has expressed concern that polluter water sources will cause water-borne diseases such as malaria and diarrhea to flourish in the days and weeks to come.

Engineer en route
The international alliance of church-based aid organisations, ACT (Action by Churches Together) International has provided around 265,000 NOK towards the relief effort in Mozambique. Norwegian Church Aid has provided 40,000 NOK from its emergency preparedness fund towards providing clean water, health and sanitation items and shelter to around 10,000 people in central and southern parts of the country. A Norwegian water engineer, Tore Schulze, has also been dispatched from Zambia to Mozambique to provide training in running and maintaining the water purification equipment that is now being installed.

Conditions worsening
In Zambia, which has been equally hard hit by recent flooding, ACT International has provided 263,000 towards the relief effort. Norwegian Church Aid has donated an additional 100,000 NOK and has sent latrine components and water purification equipment to the worst-hit regions of Mazabuka and Sinazongwe. A Norwegian Church Aid assessment has shown that over 5000 people have been affected by the flooding in these regions, but this figure is likely to be higher, as many areas are still inaccessible due to high water levels.
"It's still raining heavily and the situation seems to be deteriorating. Norwegian Church Aid and partners are monitoring the situation closely and we are prepared to extend the relief effort as necessary. We currently estimate that around 370 tents are needed, and we have through ACT International been able to provide 23 tents, 1000 blankets and 500 mosquito nets. As well as food, and our prayers," says Oddbjørn Flem, Norwegian Church Aid's country representative in Zambia.

For more information, contact:

• Oddbjørn Flem, NCA country representative in Zambia: tel.: 00 260 211 256 510 (office), e-mail: oddbjorn.flem@nca.no

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