ZIMBABWE FLOOD STATUS UPDATE, NUMBER 2

UNCLAS HARARE 001011 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/EPS, AF/S, EB/IFD/ODF, ED/ESC/ENR USDOC FOR 2037/ERIC HENDERSON TREASURY FOR ED BARBER, BARAK HOFFMAN NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JFRAZER UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 01011 141034Z LONDON FOR CGURNEY PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER DEPT PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV EAID ECON PGOV ZI SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE FLOOD STATUS UPDATE, NUMBER 2 REF: HARARE 829 ¶1. THE AREAS MOST AFFECTED BY LOCAL FLOODING ARE IN THE ZAMBEZI RIVER VALLEY IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE MASHONALAND CENTRAL PROVINCE. THIS AREA INCLUDES KADOMA AND MUZARABAHANI. IN ADDITION MUCH OF THE LOW-LYING, SOUTHERN AREAS OF ZIMBABWE ARE NOW EXPERIENCING WATER- LOGGING OF THE SOIL IN ADDITION TO RIVER AND RUNOFF DAMAGE (NOTABLY OF ROAD TRAFFIC AND FOOT CROSSINGS),AND IF HEAVY RAINS CONTINUE MORE WIDESPREAD FLOODING WILL SPREAD TO THESE REGIONS. ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE (GOZ) CIVIL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT (CPD) WEEKLY REPORT OF MARCH 9, THE AFFECTED AREAS ARE: = MASHONALAND CENTRAL: MUZARABANI DISTRICT: THERE HAS BEEN EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO CROPS, WITH MANY CROPS SUBMERGED OR WASHED AWAY. LIVESTOCK, GRANARIES, ROADS AND A NUMBER BRIDGES HAVE BEEN WASHED AWAY. 5700 FAMILIES HAD TO BE TRANSPORTED OUT OF THE FLOOD ZONE BECAUSE THEIR HOMES WERE DESTROYED OR INUNDATED. THE AIR FORCE OF ZIMBABWE IS CURRENTLY HELPING TO TRANSPORT FOOD TO THE FLOOD ZONE. THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS UNION (CFU) HAS DONATED MAIZE MEAL AND UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 01011 141034Z AGREED TO PROVIDE TRUCKS TO TRANSPORT FOOD AND SUPPLIES FROM NGOS OR THE GOZ, AND SAVE THE CHILDREN (UK) HAS PROVIDED SUBSTANTIAL SIMILAR ASSISTANCE TO THE AFFECTED AREAS AS WELL. = MASHONALAND WEST: NUMEROUS AREAS IN THIS PROVINCE ARE NOW INACCESSIBLE BECAUSE ROADS AND BRIDGES ARE DAMAGED OR IMPASSABLE. THE MUPFURE RIVER HAS OVERFLOWED ITS BANKS. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE MADE HOMELESS AND DAMAGE TO CROPS AND INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOT YET KNOWN. = MIDLANDS PROVINCE: NUMEROUS AREAS IN THIS PROVINCE ARE NOW INACCESSIBLE BECAUSE ROADS AND BRIDGES ARE IMPASSABLE. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE MADE HOMELESS AND DAMAGE TO CROPS AND INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOT YET KNOWN. = MATEBELELAND NORTH PROVINCE: IN THE TSHOLOTSHO DISTRICT THE GWAAI RIVER HAS OVERFLOWED ITS BANKS, WASHING AWAY HOMES AND HUTS. OVER 100 VILLAGERS HAD TO BE TAKEN TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL FOR TEMPORARY SHELTER. THE AIR FORCE OF ZIMBABWE IS CARRYING OUT RESCUE OPERATIONS, AND IT IS ESTIMATED THAT AT LEAST 5000 PEOPLE WILL BE AFFECTED OR NEED ASSISTANCE WHEN OPERATIONS ARE COMPLETED. ¶2. THE CONTINUOUS WET WEATHER AND INCESSANT RAINS IN ZIMBABWE HAVE PARTICULARLY NEGATIVELY AFFECTED CROPS IN MASHONALAND EAST, MASHONALAND CENTRAL, MASVINGO AND MANICALAND PROVINCES. ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE (GOZ) AGRICULTURAL TECHNICAL AND EXTENSION SERVICES (AGRITEX) REPORT, THE CONSTANT RAINS ARE CAUSING WATER-LOGGING AND NITROGEN LEACHING IN MOST AREAS AND HAVE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HARARE 01011 141034Z RESULTED IN NITROGEN DEFICIENCY IN THE FLUE-CURED TOBACCO CROP AND MUCH OF THE MAIZE CROP, WHICH COULD REDUCE YIELD AND QUALITY. BURLEY TOBACCO YIELDS IN MASHONALAND CENTRAL MAY BE REDUCED DUE TO EARLY RIPENING FROM THE RECENT HEAVY RAINS. ¶3. THE COTTON HARVEST MAY BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BECAUSE MOST AREAS THAT PRODUCE COTTON HAVE SUFFERED THE PROBLEMS OF BOLL DROP AND BOLL ROT DUE WATER-LOGGING OF COTTON PLANT ROOTS. ¶4. ACCORDING TO THE GOZ CIVIL PROTECTION DIVISION (CPD), ALL COMMITTEES AT DISTRICT LEVEL HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED TO MONITOR AND RESPOND TO THE CURRENT FLOOD EMERGENCY. WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE WEEKLY STATUS REPORTS FROM CPD, AGRITEX, FEWS/SADC AND OTHER SOURCES FOR INFORMATION ON FLOOD CONDITIONS AND DAMAGE IN ZIMBABWE. IRVING UNCLASSIFIED >