Helicopters aid Mozambique flood victims
Source: Reuters
By Charles Mangwiro CHUPANGA, Mozambique, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Helicopters dropped emergency food aid on Thursday for victims of Mozambique's floods as officials warned that close to 300,000 people could be affected if the crisis drags into next month. Heavy rains in central parts of the southern African nation have driven more than 86,000 people from their homes to higher ground, with most now living as refugees in makeshift centres throughout the Zambezi Valley. Mozambique officials said another 200,000 could be displaced by next month if waters continue to rise through the height of the annual rainy season. "We expect some 285,000 people to be affected. The water levels are rising while the number of people -- both the affected and those in accommodation centres -- is increasing," said Paulo Zucula, director of National Disaster Management, the country's relief agency. He described the situation as a humanitarian disaster but said relief efforts were under control. Officials nevertheless fear conditions could worsen in the next two weeks as heavy rains have already fallen upstream on the Zambezi river in Zambia, and the rainy season not expected to peak until March. About 40 people have already been reported dead in Mozambique's flooding, which is the worst since a major flood disaster hit the country in 2000-2001, killing 700 people and displacing half a million more. FOOD ARRIVES Conditions for those displaced by the current floods improved on Thursday as more help arrived for some 50,300 people in 53 accommodation centres. In one of the biggest centres in the Chupanga area, waterproof canvas tents have now replaced crude huts made from sticks and grass. The U.N. World Food Programme dropped packages of maize meal, sorghum, rice and cooking oil from helicopters. "I am happy to have proper food and shelter after sleeping in the open for almost a week. Rains have been pouring on us but now the conditions have improved," said Julia Campa, one of the camp's inhabitants. Only days ago, people like Campa were surviving on a diet of wild fruit and tree leaves and had no access to sanitation. Now, cisterns are supplying potable water for cooking and drinking and portable toilets have been installed. "We have the food now and the situation is improving but we need kitchen utensils and blankets because we brought nothing here," Colasse Jasse said as he stood in the rain awaiting food for his nine children. WFP spokesman Mike Huggins said the agency was equipped to help for a while, but more assistance could be needed if the floods continue. "We still have a significant amount of food for at least one month. People lost their livelihood and crops and will not be able to harvest this year. Therefore they will need assistance as they will stay longer in accommodation centres," he said.
| AlertNet news is provided by |  |
