ZIMBABWE FLOOD STATUS UPDATE, NUMBER 3

1. THOUGH RAINS CONTINUED TO FALL OVER THE ZAMBEZI RIVER
BASIN, RAINFALL AMOUNTS EASED SLIGHTLY DURING THE PAST
SEVEN DAYS AND FLOODING IN THE ZAMBEZI VALLEY SUBSIDED.
HOWEVER, THE NORTHERN AREAS OF MASHONALAND CENTRAL, WHERE
LARGE AREAS OF CROPLAND HAVE BEEN DESTROYED, REMAIN AT RISK
FROM FLOODING FROM THE ZAMBEZI RIVER AND BACK-FLOW FROM THE
CAHORA BASSA DAM IN MOZAMBIQUE. THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE
(GOZ) CIVIL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT (CPD) IS STILL ASSESSING
DAMAGE IN THE AFFECTED AREAS. THE FOLLOWING ARE THE
PROVINCES AND DISTRICTS AFFECTED ACCORDING TO THE CIVIL
PROTECTION DEPARTMENT (CPD) WEEKLY REPORT OF MARCH 13:

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 HARARE 01108 231036Z
= MASHONALAND CENTRAL: MUZARABANI DISTRICT: THOUGH
FLOODING HAS MADE MOST AREAS INACCESSIBLE, ASSESSMENT IS
STILL GOING ON IN OTHER AREAS AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
AFFECTED HAS RISEN FROM 5700 TO 10,500 FAMILIES. THERE ARE
3 CASES OF VILLAGERS WHO HAVE DROWNED AND THERE ARE EARLY
REPORTS OF WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTION OF CROPS. AN IMMEDIATE
REQUIREMENTS IS FOOD, WHICH IS CURRENTLY BEING TRANSPORTED
BY THE AIR FORCE OF ZIMBABWE. THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH HAS
PROVIDE 25,000 WATER TREATMENT TABLETS AND ORGANIZATIONS
SUCH AS THE RED CROSS, SCF/UK, COMMERCIAL FARMERS UNION,
FARMERS WORLD, COTTCO AND LOCAL BUSINESSMEN HAVE DONATED
ADDITIONAL FOOD STUFFS.

= GURUVE DISTRICT: A TOTAL NUMBER OF 527 HOUSEHOLDS HAVE
BEEN AFFECTED AND A LIMITED NUMBER OF PEOPLE WERE AIRLIFTED
TO HIGHER GROUND DURING THE EARLY PART OF THE REPORTING
PERIOD. THERE ARE NO REPORTS OF DISEASE OUTBREAK.

= MASHONALAND WEST: THERE ARE REPORTS OF ROADS AND
BRIDGES IN FLOOD. AT CHAKARI MINE, 4 PEOPLE WERE SWEPT
AWAY BY A FLOODED STREAM. AREAS WITH LOW-LYING BRIDGES,
EARTH AND GRAVEL ROADS ARE IMPASSABLE. LAKE KARIBA'S WATER
LEVEL HAS GONE BEYOND ITS SAFETY LEVEL AND TWO FLOODGATES
REMAIN OPEN RESULTING IN HIGH WATER LEVELS IN THE
DOWNSTREAM ZAMBEZI RIVER.

= MIDLANDS PROVINCE: SOME SECONDARY ROADS IN THE GOKWE
DISTRICT ARE REPORTED IMPASSABLE AND SLIPPERY DUE TO
INCESSANT RAINS, MAKING SURVEY AND RESCUE TEAM MOVEMENTS
DIFFICULT. A LOCAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL WAS CLOSED, BUT HAS
SINCE REOPENED.
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 HARARE 01108 231036Z

= MATABELELAND NORTH: TSHOLOTSHO DISTRICT: VILLAGERS
WHOSE HOMES WERE WASHED AWAY WHEN THE GWAAI RIVER BURST ITS
BANKS ARE STILL CAMPED AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL. ISOLATED
RESCUE OPERATIONS CONTINUE.



2. ASSESSMENT EXERCISES CARRIED OUT SO FAR REVEAL THAT
ABOUT 30,000 PEOPLE NATIONWIDE NEED SOME LEVEL OF
ASSISTANCE. THIS NUMBER INCLUDES ESTIMATES OF AREAS NOT
YET PHYSICALLY SURVEYED IN MASHONALAND CENTRAL,
MATABELELAND NORTH AND MIDLANDS. SOME OF THE PROBLEMS
BEING FACED BY THE SURVEY AND RESCUE TEAMS IN CARRYING OUT
ASSESSMENTS ARE IMPASSABLE ROADS AND PROBLEMS OBTAINING
FUEL FROM EITHER THE OPEN MARKET OR GOVERNMENT FUEL
LOCATIONS, BOTH OF WHICH ARE DRY. AS THE FLOODS CONTINUE
IN MOST AREAS, THERE REMAINS THE FEAR OF AN OUTBREAK OF
WATER BORNE DISEASES.



3. ASSISTANCE TO FLOOD VICTIMS IS BEING RENDERED BY THE
GOZ CIVIL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT. WE WILL CONTINUE TO
MONITOR THEIR WEEKLY STATUS REPORTS AS WELL AS REPORTS FROM
CPD, AGRITEX, FEWS/SDC AND OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON
FLOOD CONDITIONS AND RESULTANT DAMAGE IN ZIMBABWE.

IRVING

UNCLASSIFIED

>
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UNCLASSIFIED PTO6247

PAGE 01 HARARE 01108 230834Z
ACTION AF-00

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EB-00 ED-01 EXME-00 EUR-00 E-00 FAAE-00 UTED-00
FBO-00 VC-00 FRB-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00
ITC-01 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 DCP-01 NSAE-00 NSF-01
OES-01 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00
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/014W


--------------------------

D61C71 230834Z /38
P 230831Z MAR 01
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8499
INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
USDOC WASHDC
DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
DEPT OF TRANS WASHDC
USDA FAS WASHDC
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI

UNCLAS HARARE 001108

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 01108 230834Z
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 3



1. THOUGH RAINS CONTINUED TO FALL OVER THE ZAMBEZI RIVER
BASIN, RAINFALL AMOUNTS EASED SLIGHTLY DURING THE PAST
SEVEN DAYS AND FLOODING IN THE ZAMBEZI VALLEY SUBSIDED.
HOWEVER, THE NORTHERN AREAS OF MASHONALAND CENTRAL, WHERE
LARGE AREAS OF CROPLAND HAVE BEEN DESTROYED, REMAIN AT RISK
FROM FLOODING FROM THE ZAMBEZI RIVER AND BACK-FLOW FROM THE
CAHORA BASSA DAM IN MOZAMBIQUE. THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE
(GOZ) CIVIL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT (CPD) IS STILL ASSESSING
DAMAGE IN THE AFFECTED AREAS. THE FOLLOWING ARE THE
PROVINCES AND DISTRICTS AFFECTED ACCORDING TO THE CIVIL
PROTECTION DEPARTMENT (CPD) WEEKLY REPORT OF MARCH 13:

= MASHONALAND CENTRAL: MUZARABANI DISTRICT: THOUGH
FLOODING HAS MADE MOST AREAS INACCESSIBLE, ASSESSMENT IS
STILL GOING ON IN OTHER AREAS AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
AFFECTED HAS RISEN FROM 5700 TO 10,500 FAMILIES. THERE ARE
3 CASES OF VILLAGERS WHO HAVE DROWNED AND THERE ARE EARLY
REPORTS OF WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTION OF CROPS. AN IMMEDIATE
REQUIREMENTS IS FOOD, WHICH IS CURRENTLY BEING TRANSPORTED
BY THE AIR FORCE OF ZIMBABWE. THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH HAS
PROVIDE 25,000 WATER TREATMENT TABLETS AND ORGANIZATIONS
SUCH AS THE RED CROSS, SCF/UK, COMMERCIAL FARMERS UNION,
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 HARARE 01108 230834Z
FARMERS WORLD, COTTCO AND LOCAL BUSINESSMEN HAVE DONATED
ADDITIONAL FOOD STUFFS.

= GURUVE DISTRICT: A TOTAL NUMBER OF 527 HOUSEHOLDS HAVE
BEEN AFFECTED AND A LIMITED NUMBER OF PEOPLE WERE AIRLIFTED
TO HIGHER GROUND DURING THE EARLY PART OF THE REPORTING
PERIOD. THERE ARE NO REPORTS OF DISEASE OUTBREAK.

= MASHONALAND WEST: THERE ARE REPORTS OF ROADS AND
BRIDGES IN FLOOD. AT CHAKARI MINE, 4 PEOPLE WERE SWEPT
AWAY BY A FLOODED STREAM. AREAS WITH LOW-LYING BRIDGES,
EARTH AND GRAVEL ROADS ARE IMPASSABLE. LAKE KARIBA'S WATER
LEVEL HAS GONE BEYOND ITS SAFETY LEVEL AND TWO FLOODGATES
REMAIN OPEN RESULTING IN HIGH WATER LEVELS IN THE
DOWNSTREAM ZAMBEZI RIVER.

= MIDLANDS PROVINCE: SOME SECONDARY ROADS IN THE GOKWE
DISTRICT ARE REPORTED IMPASSABLE AND SLIPPERY DUE TO
INCESSANT RAINS, MAKING SURVEY AND RESCUE TEAM MOVEMENTS
DIFFICULT. A LOCAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL WAS CLOSED, BUT HAS
SINCE REOPENED.

= MATABELELAND NORTH: TSHOLOTSHO DISTRICT: VILLAGERS
WHOSE HOMES WERE WASHED AWAY WHEN THE GWAAI RIVER BURST ITS
BANKS ARE STILL CAMPED AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL. ISOLATED
RESCUE OPERATIONS CONTINUE.



2. ASSESSMENT EXERCISES CARRIED OUT SO FAR REVEAL THAT
ABOUT 30,000 PEOPLE NATIONWIDE NEED SOME LEVEL OF
ASSISTANCE. THIS NUMBER INCLUDES ESTIMATES OF AREAS NOT
YET PHYSICALLY SURVEYED IN MASHONALAND CENTRAL,
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 HARARE 01108 230834Z
MATABELELAND NORTH AND MIDLANDS. SOME OF THE PROBLEMS
BEING FACED BY THE SURVEY AND RESCUE TEAMS IN CARRYING OUT
ASSESSMENTS ARE IMPASSABLE ROADS AND PROBLEMS OBTAINING
FUEL FROM EITHER THE OPEN MARKET OR GOVERNMENT FUEL
LOCATIONS, BOTH OF WHICH ARE DRY. AS THE FLOODS CONTINUE
IN MOST AREAS, THERE REMAINS THE FEAR OF AN OUTBREAK OF
WATER BORNE DISEASES.



3. ASSISTANCE TO FLOOD VICTIMS IS BEING RENDERED BY THE
GOZ CIVIL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT. WE WILL CONTINUE TO
MONITOR THEIR WEEKLY STATUS REPORTS AS WELL AS REPORTS FROM
CPD, AGRITEX, FEWS/SDC AND OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON
FLOOD CONDITIONS AND RESULTANT DAMAGE IN ZIMBABWE.

IRVING

UNCLASSIFIED

>