Mozambique and Malawi: ACT helps flood victims

 Action by Churches Together (ACT) International is assisting the flood victims in Mozambique and Malawi. Latest reports from Mozambique say, that there are 51 deaths, more than 81,000 people displaced and about 400,000 affected by recent flooding in the provinces of Zambezia, Sofala, Manica and Tete. In Malawi 13 districts in all three regions of the country have been affected. In the most hit southern districts some 200,000 persons have been displaced and five persons have been killed.

In Mozambique ACT member, Christian Council of Churches of Mozambique (CCM), is assisting the victims with food, blankets and chlorine tablets to ensure clean drinking water. The other ACT members in the country are Lutheran World Fedaration (LWF) and The Presbyterian Church of Mozambique (IPM). IPM has committed 500 survival kits to Zambezia. LWF has stocks of plastic sheeting, blankets, jerry cans, tents, tinned goods, health kits and used clothes ready for distribution.

The LWF office in Tete reports, that the emergency situation in the province of Tete continues to deteriorate on a daily basis as the water level of the Zambezi river continues to raise. The city of Tete is already being affected. Some houses near the riverbanks are now flooded.

Some 44,000 people are affected in Tete province. LWF has provided 400 litres of petrol and 200 litres of diesel to help in the transport of relief items to Mutara. The only access to Mutara is by air or by river. Another alternative is via Malawi, but there is fear that the road might also be cut or become inaccessible if the heavy rains continue on the Malawian side.

In Malawi ACT member Churches Action in Relief and Development (CARD) has provided tents to families who have been rendered homeless. The Evangelical Lutheran Development Programme (ELDP), working closely together with the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), is distributing clothes and blankets. ACT is releasing 25,000 USD in rapid response funds to LWF/ELDP.

The most affected district is Nsanje where 22,454 families have been rendered homeless and five people have lost their lives. Reports indicate that people from nine villages in Nsanje have crossed over to Mutarara district in Mozambique to seek shelter while people from seven villages in Mozambique went to Malawi. It is also feared that cholera in Mutarara and Gaza in Mozambique may spread to Nsanje.

An ELDP team reports one could easily mistake the flood-hit areas in Nsanje and Chikwawa for a large body of water. Only the still visible grass-thatched roofs of scores of submerged houses show that people lived there before. A big concern is the spread of cholera. At least 19 people have died and 1500 people have been treated for cholera throughout the country since rains intensified.