Provision of Logistics and Emergency Telecommunications Support to Humanitarian Emergency Operations in Flood Affected Areas of Mozambique

This operation has expired in August 2015.

Heavy rainfall in Mozambique and neighboring countries, beginning in December andcontinuing through January, has caused significant flooding in northern and central parts of Mozambique, particularly in Zambézia, Nampula, Niassa, and Cabo Delgado provinces. Many rivers in these areas have overflowed; of particular concern is the Licungo River which, as of 20 January, had reached its highest levels since 1971. Consequently 144,330 people (32,285 families) have been affected by these floods. In Zambézia province alone 119,564 people (24,278 families) have been affected, of which 50,481 people (11,662 families) are currently being hosted in 49 accommodation centers, located in seven districts out of the total 22 districts in the province. 

Funds were allocated from the state budget to be used for the initial response, including rescue operations by the National Civil Protection Unity (UNAPROC) in all affected areas, the purchase and delivery of shelter materials, as well as supplies of food and water to assist the affected populations. The Government of Mozambique, through the National Institute for Disaster Management (INGC), presented a request to the international community for additional support to cover identified gaps and meet the immediate needs.

This Special Operation 200814 aims at supporting the INGC-led response by providing additional logistics and emergency telecommunications capacity to organizations responding to the flooding in Zambézia province. The response plan includes provisions for common transport services (including air transport via helicopter), management of logistics assets, collection and dissemination of logistics information, as well as coordination and provision of emergency telecommunications support. All activities are carried out under WFP’s mandate, as the IASC-identified MOZ SO 200814 Page 2 “Lead Agency” for the Logistics and Telecommunications Clusters, to support coordination in these sectors through existing response mechanisms where possible and when requested.