ZIMBABWE FLOODING DISASTER SITUATION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 002021 SIPDIS AIDAC USAID/W FOR BHR/OFDA FOR B. SANDFORD, M. ROGERS; BHR/FFP FOR C.W.T. HAGELMAN3, B. VOGLER; AFR/SD FOR W. WHELAN; AFR/SA FOR N. NEWMAN, C. REINTSMA, W. JEFFERS, ¶M. SCOVILL; STATE FOR AF/S RENDER AND GURNEY; NAIROBI FOR BHR/OFDA/ARO K. SMITH, G. GOTTLIEB; MAPUTO FOR UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 02021 01 OF 03 131243Z OFDA/DART H. CARLSON, E. JACKSON; GABORONE FOR RCSA, R MORTON; GENEVA PLEASE PASS TO UNOCHA, IFRC; ROME PLEASE PASS TO FODAG E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ZI SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE FLOODING DISASTER SITUATION REPORT (SITREP) NO. 6 REFS: (A) HARARE 1901, (B) HARARE 1730, C) HARARE 1588, (D) HARARE 1570, E) HARARE 1295, (F) HARARE 1162, (G) HARARE 1083 ¶1. SUMMARY: ON APRIL 6, MISSION DISASTER RELIEF OFFICER (MDRO) ATTENDED A THIRD GOVERNMENT-DONOR MEETING ON THE FLOODING DISASTER CHAIRED JOINTLY BY UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE RESREP) C. LOPES AND MINISTRY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND NATIONAL HOUSING (MLGNH - PARENT MINISTRY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL PROTECTION) PERMANENT SECRETARY (PERMSEC) F. MUNYIRA. AT THE MEETING, SEVERAL SPEAKERS PRESENTED UPDATES ON THE CURRENT SITUATION WITHIN THE AFFECTED AREAS, THE COLLECTIVE RESPONSE TO DATE, REGIONAL CONSULTATIONS ON THIS SUBJECT, AND CURRENT AND FUTURE RESPONSE ACTIVITIES AND PRIORITIES. EACH OF THESE SUBJECTS IS COVERED BRIEFLY IN THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS, TOGETHER WITH SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THE MISSION HAS RECEIVED SEPARATELY ON THIS SUBJECT. MOST OF THIS INFORMATION IS DOCUMENTED IN SEVERAL HANDOUTS PROVIDED AT THE MEETING WHICH HAVE BEEN FORWARDED DIRECTLY BACK TO WASHINGTON, D.C. (C/O N. NEWMAN, USAID/ZIMBABWE DESK OFFICER AT USAID/AFR/SA). END SUMMARY. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 02021 01 OF 03 131243Z THIRD DONOR MEETING ¶2. ON APRIL 6, MISSION DISASTER RELIEF OFFICER ATTENDED THIRD GOVERNMENT-DONOR MEETING ON THE FLOODING DISASTER CHAIRED JOINTLY BY UNDP RESREP LOPES AND MLGNH PERMSEC MUNYIRA. AT THE MEETING, SEVERAL SPEAKERS PRESENTED UPDATES ON THE CURRENT SITUATION WITHIN THE AFFECTED AREAS, THE COLLECTIVE RESPONSE TO DATE, REGIONAL CONSULTATIONS ON THIS SUBJECT, AND CURRENT AND FUTURE RESPONSE ACTIVITIES AND PRIORITIES. EACH OF THESE SUBJECTS IS COVERED BRIEFLY IN THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS, TOGETHER WITH SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THE MISSION HAS RECEIVED SEPARATELY ON THIS SUBJECT. DONOR CONTRIBUTIONS ¶3. PERMSEC MUNYIRA STARTED THE MEETING BY EXTENDING THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE'S (GOZ'S) APPRECIATION FOR THE "TREMENDOUS" RESPONSE TO THE DISASTER TO DATE FROM INTERNATIONAL, BILATERAL AS WELL AS LOCAL SOURCES. HANDOUTS PROVIDED AT THE MEETING (FORWARDED TO WASHINGTON, D.C.) INDICATE THAT FORMAL DONOR COMMITMENTS TO DATE TOTAL SOME US$4 MILLION, INCLUDING US$1.1 MILLION FOR THE U.N. APPEAL (DISCUSSED REF. E AND PARA 14. BELOW). ¶4. SEVERAL ADDITIONAL DONOR CONTRIBUTIONS WERE SUBSEQUENTLY NOTED AT THE MEETING, INCLUDING: -USAID'S PLANNED US$144,000 GRANT TO CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES (CRS) FOR THE PROVISION OF EMERGENCY RELIEF UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HARARE 02021 01 OF 03 131243Z COMMODITIES TO 15,000 PEOPLE IN THE HARDEST HIT AREAS OF MANICALAND PROVINCE (SEE REF. B); -AN ADDITIONAL US$120,000 FROM THE SWEDISH INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (SIDA) FOR COMMODITY SUPPORT FOR CHIREDZI AND MATOPO DISTRICTS; -US$142,105 FROM CHRISTIAN CARE FOR ANTI-MALARIAL DRUGS, AND FOOD AND SHELTER IN MWENEZI DISTRICT; -US$25,000 FROM OED (AUSTRIAN AID) FOR UNSPECIFIED ASSISTANCE TO CHIMANIMANI DISTRICT. NOTE: ALL OF THESE ADDITIONAL PLEDGES ARE REFLECTED IN AN UPDATED DONOR FUNDING TABLE RECEIVED ON APRIL 11, WHICH BRINGS THE TOTAL FORMAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO DATE TO APPROXIMATELY US$4.5 MILLI ON. END NOTE. -IN ADDITION, THE DANISH INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (DANIDA) ANNOUNCED UNSPECIFIED ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR WHO, UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ1524 PAGE 01 HARARE 02021 02 OF 03 131244Z ACTION AID-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 AGRE-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 EB-00 EUR-01 UTED-00 FDRE-01 TEDE-00 IO-00 MMP-00 DCP-01 NSAE-00 OIC-02 PM-00 IRM-00 TRSE-00 PMB-00 PRM-01 SAS-00 /006W -------------- 4B46F8 131244Z /38 P 131248Z APR 00 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5739 INFO AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY AMEMBASSY GABORONE PRIORITY AMEMBASSY MAPUTO PRIORITY USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE//POLAD// PRIORITY AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY USMISSION GENEVA AMEMBASSY ROME DIA WASHINGTON DC SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 HARARE 002021 SIPDIS AIDAC USAID/W FOR BHR/OFDA FOR B. SANDFORD, M. ROGERS; BHR/FFP FOR C.W.T. HAGELMAN3, B. VOGLER; AFR/SD FOR W. WHELAN; AFR/SA FOR N. NEWMAN, C. REINTSMA, W. JEFFERS, ¶M. SCOVILL; STATE FOR AF/S RENDER AND GURNEY; NAIROBI FOR BHR/OFDA/ARO K. SMITH, G. GOTTLIEB; MAPUTO FOR UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 02021 02 OF 03 131244Z OFDA/DART H. CARLSON, E. JACKSON; GABORONE FOR RCSA, R MORTON; GENEVA PLEASE PASS TO UNOCHA, IFRC; ROME PLEASE PASS TO FODAG E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ZI SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE FLOODING DISASTER SITUATION REPORT (SITREP) NO. 6 CRS AND THE RED CROSS (C/O THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT SOCIETIES). -FINALLY, THE WORLD BANK (WB) ANNOUNCED AN UNSPECIFIED SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE FOR TRANSPORT (ROAD/BRIDGE) INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIRS, BY RE-PROGRAMMING FUNDS FROM A RECENTLY APPROVED WB ROADS PROJECT. THE WB INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD SOON BE ISSUING TENDERS TO START THE REQUIRED REPAIR WORKS. NOTE: OTHER DONORS (E.G., SIDA) ALSO EXPRESSED A WILLINGNESS TO RE-PROGRAM EXISTING PROJECT FUNDS FOR DISASTER ASSISTANCE IN SUCH AREAS AS HEALTH (CLINIC REHABILITATION),EDUCATION (SCHOOL REHABILITATION) AND DISTRICT-LEVEL CAPACITY-BUILDING, REQUESTING TIMELY GOZ COOPERATION TO FACILITATE THE REQUIRED RE-PROGRAMMING WORK. END NOTE. ¶5. THE TOTAL LEVEL OF INFORMAL (I.E., LOCAL, NON- GOVERNMENTAL) CONTRIBUTIONS REMAINS LESS CLEAR. PERMSEC MUNYIRA QUOTED A FIGURE OF Z$20 MILLION (US$250,000) IN LOCAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO DATE, INCLUDING ABOUT ZW$8.4 MILLION (US$212,000) IN CASH; HOWEVER, IT WAS NOTED THAT THIS FIGURE WAS PROBABLY NOT COMPLETE. NOTE: THE US$4 MILLION FIGURE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 02021 02 OF 03 131244Z CITED ABOVE INCLUDES SOME, BUT PROBABLY NOT ALL, OF THE NGO AND RED CROSS FUNDING TO DATE. END NOTE. IMPACT UPDATE ¶6. DURING A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF IMPACTS FROM THE DISASTER, PERMSEC MUNYIRA CONFIRMED THAT THE OFFICIAL DEATH TOLL FROM THE FLOODING HAD NOW RISEN TO 119 PERSONS. ALL OTHER PEOPLE-LEVEL IMPACT FIGURES REMAIN UNCHANGED (SEE REFTELS). ¶7. MUNYIRA ALSO INDICATED THAT THE GOZ CIVIL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING A SYSTEMATIC ASSESSMENT OF DAMAGES BY SECTOR AND "PLANNING THE WAY FORWARD". ALLUDING TO THE DRAFT REPORT PROVIDED IN SITREP NO. 5 (REF. A),HE CITED A TOTAL FIGURE OF ABOUT ZW$1.1 BILLION (US$27.5 MILLION) IN INFRASTRUCTURE DAMAGES ASSESSED TO DATE. ¶8. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THE URBAN COUNCILS ASSOCIATION OF ZIMBABWE INDICATES ZW$314, 480,000 (US$7.8 MILLION) IN DAMAGES TO MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUCTURE (E.G., ROADS, SEWERAGE, WASTE DISPOSAL, WATER SUPPLY AND PUBLIC LIGHTING SYSTEMS AND SERVICES). THIS NEW INFORMATION ON MUNICIPAL IMPACTS HAS NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPORTED. ¶9. THE MISSION HAS ALSO RECEIVED FROM THE GOZ MINISTRY OF RURAL RESOURCES AND WATER DEVELOPMENT A SEPARATE LIST OF SOME 21 MAJOR DAMS DAMAGED BY THE FLOODS, TOTALING SOME ZW$67.8 MILLION (US$1.7 MILLION) IN REPAIR COSTS. NOTE: THIS LIST DOES NOT/NOT INCLUDE SMALLER LOCAL/RURAL DAMS UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HARARE 02021 02 OF 03 131244Z ADMINISTERED UNDER THE DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT FUND. END NOTE. ¶10. ALTHOUGH FOLLOW-ON HEALTH RISKS REMAIN HIGH, NO MAJOR DISEASE OUTBREAKS HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN THE AFFECTED AREAS TO DATE. ¶11. ADDITIONAL UPDATED IMPACT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION (E.G., FORESTRY, AGRICULTURAL, FOOD SECURITY, UTILITIES, ETC.) IS DOCUMENTED IN THE SEVERAL REPORTS DISTRIBUTED AT THE MEETING (WHICH ARE INCLUDED IN THE PACKET FORWARDED TO WASHINGTON, D.C.) . REGIONAL CONSULTATIONS ¶12. PERMSEC MUNYIRA ALSO TOUCHED ON REGIONAL CONSULTATIONS UNDERWAY REGARDING THE DISASTER WITH NEIGHBORS BOTSWANA, SOUTH AFRICA AND MOZAMBIQUE. NOTE: MUNYIRA NOTED THAT IT WAS EXPECTED THAT OTHER SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY (SADC) COUNTRIES WOULD BE JOINING THESE DISCUSSIONS SOON FOR A GREATER REGIONAL APPROACH TOWARDS THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC. END NOTE. PRIMARY AREAS OF REGIONAL UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ1526 PAGE 01 HARARE 02021 03 OF 03 131244Z ACTION AID-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 AGRE-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 EB-00 EUR-01 UTED-00 FDRE-01 TEDE-00 IO-00 MMP-00 DCP-01 NSAE-00 OIC-02 PM-00 IRM-00 TRSE-00 PMB-00 PRM-01 SAS-00 /006W -------------- 4B4705 131244Z /38 P 131248Z APR 00 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5740 INFO AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY AMEMBASSY GABORONE PRIORITY AMEMBASSY MAPUTO PRIORITY USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE//POLAD// PRIORITY AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY USMISSION GENEVA AMEMBASSY ROME DIA WASHINGTON DC SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 HARARE 002021 SIPDIS AIDAC USAID/W FOR BHR/OFDA FOR B. SANDFORD, M. ROGERS; BHR/FFP FOR C.W.T. HAGELMAN3, B. VOGLER; AFR/SD FOR W. WHELAN; AFR/SA FOR N. NEWMAN, C. REINTSMA, W. JEFFERS, ¶M. SCOVILL; STATE FOR AF/S RENDER AND GURNEY; NAIROBI FOR BHR/OFDA/ARO K. SMITH, G. GOTTLIEB; MAPUTO FOR UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 02021 03 OF 03 131244Z OFDA/DART H. CARLSON, E. JACKSON; GABORONE FOR RCSA, R MORTON; GENEVA PLEASE PASS TO UNOCHA, IFRC; ROME PLEASE PASS TO FODAG E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ZI SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE FLOODING DISASTER SITUATION REPORT (SITREP) NO. 6 COOPERATION TO DATE INCLUDE DEFENSE, HEALTH AND CUSTOMS/BORDER RESTRICTIONS. MUNYIRA INDICATED THAT MLGNH MINISTER J. NKOMO WAS IN CAPE TOWN (APRIL 6) TO DISCUSS FUTURE DISASTER PLANNING, PREPAREDNESS AND CONTINUING REGIONAL COOPERATION, INCLUDING PLANS TO ESTABLISH A NEW LONG-TERM SADC DISASTER MANAGEMENT UNIT. ¶13. PERMSEC MUNYIRA ALSO NOTED THAT A RECENT MEETING OF PROVINCIAL-LEVEL CIVIL PROTECTION STAFF INDICATED THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FROM CENTRAL GOVERNMENT (DOLLARS, STAFF, VEHICLES, ETC.) AND IMPROVED LOCAL-L EVEL COORDINATION (MORE BELOW). CURRENT PRIORITIES ¶14. A. L. THON, SPOKESPERSON FOR THE NEWLY FORMED NGO LIAISON COMMITTEE ON DISASTERS (NLCD) - COMPRISING SOME 50 NGOS INVOLVED IN THE RESPONSE EFFORT - STATED THAT THE MOST NOTEWORTHY ASPECT OF THIS DISASTER WAS THE EXTENT TO WHICH ZIMBABWEANS WERE HELPING EACH OTHER AND THEMSELVES. IN THIS INTEREST, SHE CITED THE LOCAL PEOPLE, THE COMMERCIAL UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 02021 03 OF 03 131244Z FARMERS UNION, DISTRICT CIVIL PROTECTION UNITS AND THE ZIMBABWE RED CROSS AS THE MOST EFFECTIVE RESPONSE ORGANIZATIONS TO DATE. SHE ALSO INDICATED A NEW ALERT IN PREVIOUSLY OVERLOOKED PLUMTREE (BULILIAMANGWE DISTRICT IN MATEBELELAND NORTH PROVINCE) DUE TO CONTINUED RAINS AND WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTION IN THE AREA. THON STATED THAT NGO PRIORITIES WERE NOW SHIFTING TO RECONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES, PROVIDING AN OVERVIEW OF PRIORITY NEEDS BY SECTOR (REFERRING TO AN NLCD REPORT PROVIDED AT THE MEETING WHICH WAS ALSO INCLUDED IN THE PACKET FORWARDED TO WASHINGTON, D.C.). SHE ALSO INDICATED THAT DISCUSSIONS WERE UNDERWAY REGARDING THE NEED FOR NEW DISASTER MANAGEMENT LEGISLATION FOR ZIMBABWE. ¶15. UNDP RESREP LOPES ALSO PROVIDED AN OVERVIEW OF THE CURRENT SITUATION REFERRING TO TWO U.N. REPORTS PROVIDED AT THE MEETING (ALSO INCLUDED IN THE WASHINGTON, D.C. PACKET). HE INDICATED CURRENT RESPONSE PRIORITIES OF: 1) URGENT RECONSTRUCTION REPAIRS (TO RE-ESTABLISH EFFECTIVE ACCESS TO ALL AFFECTED AREAS); 2) SCHOOL AND CLINIC REPAIRS (THE IMPACT ON SCHOOLS WAS GREATER THAN INITIALLY ASSESSED); AND 3) DISTRICT-LEVEL CAPACITY-ENHANCING ASSISTANCE (E.G., VEHICLES, COMPUTERS, STAFF RESOURCES, ETC.) FOR CRITICAL LOCAL-LEVEL INFORMATION GATHERING AND COORDINATION ACTIVITIES. HE ALSO ENDORSED THE GENERALLY AGREED CONTENTION THAT MORE GENERAL RESPONSE PRIORITIES HAD NOW SHIFTED TO RECONSTRUCTION TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO RE-ESTABLISH THEIR LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS. ¶16. IN REVIEWING THE DONOR FIGURES AVAILABLE TO DATE, RESREP LOPES ALSO INDICATED THAT THE U.N. HAD REVISED THEIR ORIGINAL APPEAL UPWARDS FROM US$3 MILLION TO US$4.8 MILLION UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HARARE 02021 03 OF 03 131244Z BASED ON UPDATED INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THE FIELD. HE FURTHER INDICATED THAT THE U.N. WOULD BE ISSUING A REVISED FORMAL APPEAL SHORTLY, WHICH WOULD PROBABLY EXCEED THIS INCREASED $4.8 MILLION REQUEST. ¶17. RESREP LOPES ALSO INDICATED THAT A MAJOR ASSESSMENT WAS NOW UNDERWAY IN THE AFFFECTED AREAS, CONDUCTED JOINTLY BY THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM, FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION (FAO),FAMINE EARLY WARNING SERVICE (FEWS),AND GOZ DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND TECHNICAL SERVICES (AGRITEX) STAFF, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE DEFINITIVE INFORMATION ON AGRICULTURAL AND CROP IMPACTS, AND AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD SECURITY NEEDS WHEN COMPLETED THIS WEEK. ¶18. THE MISSION WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS SUBJECT AS/WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE. MCDONALD UNCLASSIFIED >