WFP providing food aid to flood victims

Over 4,500 mt of food has been propositioned throughout Mozambique to help flood victims, amid forecasts of continuing heavy rains in some parts of the country, a WFP spokesman in Maputo told IRIN on Wednesday. "We are providing displaced people with emergency rations because in most cases they will have lost their homes and need immediate sustenance. Those who have lost their crops only may not need assistance now but may need some in the longer term," Inyene Udoyen said. "The food that is being moved now is mostly to respond to needs in various places, though a little is being repositioned in places that look like there might be a need in the near future. For now we are continuing to work with INGC (the Mozambican disaster authority), UNICEF and NGOs to help deliver food, medical supplies and other relief items where needed," Udoyen added. Meanwhile, in its situation report for 1-12 February, WFP said that in the Mutarara district in northwestern Tete province over 22,000 people have been affected by recent floods, with 1,807 hectares of crops destroyed. WFP said that two accommodation centres have been established. In the Zumbi districts 2,145 people have been affected and 343 hectares of crops lost. In the eastern Zambezia province, a tropical storm in late January resulted in heavy rain in the provincial capital Quelimane. WFP said that so far 23,600 people in the province had been displaced and 250,000 affected. It added that 20 deaths had so far been reported. WFP noted that as of 7 February, 127.5 mt of commodities had been delivered/positioned by road and helicopter. In the southern Sofala province prolonged rain in the Gorongosa basin caused flooding of low-lying areas, particularly near river banks. In Inhambane province also in the south heavy rain resulted in flooding in the north of the province. In the western Manica province "heavy but localised" rain affected the region, contributing to the rise in level of the Mossurize river in the Mossurize district. Conversely in Gaza province in the south, WFP noted that crop assessments showed a "dramatic" decline in maize prospects because of lack of rainfall in all areas of the province. "The entire province is very dry, with only one day of good rain in January in southern areas. All recent observations support the view that the current year's maize crop has been severely damaged," WFP said. WFP warned that "regardless of rain levels in February" the maize crop was "unlikely" to recover. WFP said that provincial authorities estimated that over 30,000 people will be at risk from drought in the Xai-Xai, Chibuto and Mandlakazi districts should the dry spell continue.