ZIMBABWE FLOOD STATUS UPDATE, NUMBER 4

UNCLAS HARARE 001221 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/EPS, AF/S USAID FOR AFR/SA NNEWMAN, CPALMA USDOC FOR 2037/ERIC HENDERSON TREASURY FOR ED BARBER, BARAK HOFFMAN UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 01221 041517Z NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JFRAZER LONDON FOR CGURNEY PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER, GGOTTLIEB DEPT PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV EAID ECON PGOV ZI SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE FLOOD STATUS UPDATE, NUMBER 4 ¶1. ACCORDING TO THE LATEST OFFICIAL REPORTS REGARDING THE MOST SEVERELY AFFECTED DISTRICTS OF GURUVE AND MUZARABANI ALONG THE ZAMBEZI RIVER IN THE NORTH OF THE ZIMBABWE, AN ESTIMATED 21,400 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN AFFECTED TO VARYING DEGREES BY RECENT FLOODING. HEAVY RAINS, FLASH FLOODING AND WATER- LOGGING HAVE ALSO AFFECTED SOME CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. THE HEAVY RAINFALL, WHICH BEGAN IN LATE FEBRUARY, HAS EASED IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS, SIGNALING THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF THIS YEAR'S RAINS. THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE, THE PRIVATE SECTOR, AND DONOR AGENCIES, INCLUDING SAVE THE CHILDREN (UK),WORLD VISION, THE ZIMBABWE RED CROSS SOCIETY AND OTHER NGOS, CONTINUE TO PROVIDE RELIEF ASSISTANCE TO THE AFFECTED COMMUNITIES. ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED TO REPAIR DAMAGED INFRASTRUCTURE, BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE. ¶2. GOVERNMENT-PROVIDED MATERIAL AND CONSUMABLES ASSISTANCE, SUCH AS CLOTHING, FUEL, FOODSTUFFS, HOUSEHOLD ITEMS AND TRANSPORT, WAS SUPPLIED AND MANAGED THROUGH THE OFFICES OF THE CIVIL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT (CPD) UNITS IN THE AFFECTED DISTRICTS. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL SHORTCOMINGS IN DELIVERING GOVERNMENT RELIEF ASSISTANCE. THESE INCLUDE INSUFFICIENT RESOURCES TO RESPOND ADEQUATELY TO THE EMERGENCY, INACCURATE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 01221 041517Z INITIAL ASSESSMENTS OF NEEDS, DELAYS IN CARRYING OUT ASSESSMENTS BECAUSE ROADS AND BRIDGES WERE DESTROYED, COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS AND THE TRANSPARENCY AND EQUITY OF THE RELIEF DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS UTILIZED. HOWEVER, THE GOZ, THROUGH THE CPD AND IN COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR MUNICIPAL ORGANIZATIONS, DID MANAGE TO SEND OUT EMERGENCY RELIEF ALERTS AND CONDITION REPORTS, AND TOOK CHARGE OF THE OVERALL CO-ORDINATION OF THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND THE RELIEF DISTRIBUTION EXERCISE. ¶3. THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH IS CLOSELY MONITORING AND ASSESSING THE SANITARY NEEDS OF THE AFFECTED COMMUNITIES. SO FAR, THE MINISTRY HAS PROVIDED WATER PURIFICATION TABLETS, MALARIA DRUGS, MOSQUITO NETS, AND IS SEEKING EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE FOR ADDITIONAL MEDICINES TO CONTROL CHOLERA AND DYSENTERY. IMMEDIATE REQUIREMENTS ARE SUPPLEMENTARY FOODSTUFFS (PARTICULARLY FOR CHILDREN IN THE PRE-SCHOOL AND JUNIOR SCHOOL CATEGORIES),THE SINKING OF BOREHOLES AT NEW RELOCATION AREAS TO ENCOURAGE VICTIMS TO LEAVE FLOOD-PRONE AREAS, AND FUNDS TO RECONSTRUCT DAMAGED HOMESTEADS. ¶4. ACCORDING TO THE CIVIL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT WEEKLY REPORT OF MARCH 28, THE FOLLOWING PROVINCES AND DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY FLOODS: MASHONALAND CENTRAL: MUZARABANI DISTRICT, CENTENARY AND GURUVE. INACCESSIBLE AREAS INCLUDE CHIKOMBINGO, GUNDUZA, KANYEYI, CHOMOIO, KECHE, MUROTA, NYAMAHARO AND MARIMHUKA; MASHONALAND WEST: KADOMA, CHEGUTU, HURUNGWE AND MAKONDE; UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HARARE 01221 041517Z MIDLANDS: GOKWE SOUTH (AREA NOT ASSESSED),AND MUSITA SCHOOL DISTRICT; MATABELELAND SOUTH: UMZINGWANE AND INSIZA DISTRICTS; MATABELELAND NORTH: TSHOLOTSHO DISTRICT; MASVINGO: MWENEZI, GUTU, CHIVI, CHIREDZI AND ZAKA DISTRICTS; MANICALAND: CHIPINGE AND CHIMANIMANI DISTRICTS. ¶5. MISSION WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE CPD WEEKLY REPORTS AS WELL AS OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON FLOOD CONDITIONS IN ZIMBABWE. DUE TO THE EXPECTED DIMINISHING THREAT AND IMPACT OF POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL/FUTURE FLOODING WITH THE ENDING OF T HE RAINY SEASON, HENCEFORTH, WE WILL REVISE THESE WEEKLY FLOOD REPORTS TO AN AS-NEEDED BASIS. IRVING UNCLASSIFIED >