REGIONAL FLOODING LARGELY BYPASSES ZIMBABWE

UNCLAS HARARE 000829 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 LONDON FOR CGURNEY UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 00829 261349Z PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS DEPT PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER ¶E. O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV EAID ECON PGOV ZI SUBJECT: REGIONAL FLOODING LARGELY BYPASSES ZIMBABWE ¶1. DISASTER DECLARATIONS AND REPORTS OF RECENT FLOODING IN NEIGHBORING MOZAMBIQUE AND MALAWI CAUSED US TO CONTACT THE GOZ AND DETERMINE THE EXISTENCE AND EXTENT OF COLLATERAL FLOOD DAMAGE IN ZIMBABWE. NATURAL DISASTER TRACKING AND ASSISTANCE COORDINATION IS HANDLED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL PROTECTION IN THE MINISTRY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND NATIONAL HOUSING. ACCORDING TO THE LATEST STATUS REPORT ISSUED FEBRUARY 23 BY THE CIVIL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, THE CURRENT, PHYSICAL FLOOD DAMAGE IN ZIMBABWE IS MINIMAL WITH CROSS-BORDER DISEASE OUTBREAK (CHOLERA, DIARRHEA AND MALARIA) CONSTITUTING THE BIGGEST THREAT. THE AFFECTED AREAS AND DAMAGE ARE: = MANICA PROVINCE (BORDERING MOZAMBIQUE): FLOODING WITHIN THE HONDE VALLEY 10 KM INSIDE MOZAMBIQUE IS RISING AND COULD SPILL OVER INTO ZIMBABWE. CASES OF MALARIA AND DIARRHEA REPORTED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER, WHICH IS VERY POROUS IN THIS REGION. = MANICALAND PROVINCE: SOME LANDSLIDES OCCURRED IN THE FOOTHILLS EAST OF CHIMANIMANI, WITH NO REPORTED INJURIES. A FOOTBRIDGE OVER THE NYAHONDE RIVER, ALSO WASHED AWAY DURING CYLCONE ELINE LAST YEAR, WAS AGAIN WASHED AWAY. TEA ESTATES REPORT THAT THEIR WORKERS ARE INCREASINGLY MAROONED IN UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 00829 261349Z MOZAMBIQUE BY THE FLOODED RUYA RIVER, AND THE ONLY SCHOOL IN THE AREA (OPERATED BY THE OWNERS OF THE KATIYO TEA ESTATE) HAS CLOSED DUE TO THE ATTENDANCE DROP. = MASHONALAND CENTRAL: SOME CROPS, HOMESTEADS, GRANARIES AND TWO FOOTBRIDGES WERE AFFECTED BY FLOODING THAT HAS SINCE SUBSIDED. THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE WILL BE LOANED FOUR MINISTERIAL 4X4 VEHICLES TO CONDUCT SITE SURVEYS, AND TRUCKS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE IF RELIEF SUPPLIES NEED TO BE DELIVERED. THE ZAMBEZI RIVER HAS OVERFLOWED ITS BANKS IN KANYEMBA (WHERE ZAMBIA, MOZAMBIQUE AND ZIMBABWE MEET),A BORDER CONTROL/POLICE STATION IS FLOODED AND ONLY ONE NURSE REMAINS AT THE LOCAL CLINIC. = MASVINGO PROVINCE: TWO SMALL ROAD BRIDGES ON THE MASVINGO/BEITBRIDGE ROAD WERE WASHED AWAY BY RUNOFF FROM LOCAL SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. TRAFFIC HAS BEEN DIVERTED TO SECONDARY ROADS/CROSSINGS, AND MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT AND ARMY ENGINEERS WILL UTILIZE BAILEY BRIDGES AS A TEMPORARY MEASURE. ¶2. WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE WEEKLY STATUS REPORTS FROM THE CIVIL PROTECTION UNIT AND OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION, AND ADVISE WHEN AND IF FLOOD CONDITIONS WORSEN DURING THE TAIL-END OF THIS RAINY SEASON. WHILE DAMAGE TO INFRASTRUCTURE AND DWELLINGS HAS BEEN LOW TO DATE, CROP DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE ERRATIC AND AT TIMES HEAVY RAINS IS AT PRESENT A MORE SERIOUS CONCERN. THE IMPACT ON CROP YIELDS WILL TAKE TIME TO BE QUANTIFIED THOUGH IT IS ALREADY KNOWN THAT DRY CONDITIONS IN MUCH OF THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF THE COUNTRY, AND RECENT, VERY HEAVY RAINS IN MASHONALAND CENTRAL UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HARARE 00829 261349Z HAVE DRASTICALLY REDUCED BOTH CASH AND FOOD CROP YIELDS. MISSION'S REGULAR FOOD REPORTING MESSAGES WILL CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE TOPIC OF FOOD SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND THE NEED FOR IMPORTS OR RELIEF. IRVING UNCLASSIFIED >