Mozambique Flood Appeal

Click here to find out how you can help ...

02/03/07 "MOZAMBIQUE: MORE RAINS, FLOODS POSSIBLE"

From Reuters AlertNet

More rains and flooding are possible in Mozambique over the coming weeks. "Our problem is logistics", says head of disaster agency.

21/02/07 CYCLONE FAVIO ARRIVAL IMMINENT

In the last 24 hours Cyclone Favio has intensified to Category 4 which is of similar or greater strength than Hurricane Katrina which devastated New Orleans. It is expected to make landfall around Beira in central Mozambique with significant rainfall expected across the already flooded Zambezi river basin. This development has occurred rather rapidly and brings a greater urgency to the situation, placing further tens of thousands of people at risk.

18/02/07 MOZAMBIQUE EMERGENCY FLOOD APPEAL

Floodwaters have returned to Mozambique, and there is every chance of rain continuing for several weeks. Current estimates indicate 250,000 people are affected, and major aid agencies are preparing for up to 600,000 people to be displaced.

Much of the province of Zambezia is affected, as is the Shire Valley in Malawi. Cahora Bassa Dam, the second largest in Africa, is likely to increase its outflow to the equivalent to 500 Olympic swimming pools of water every minute. Rains are currently continuing to raise the level of the Zambezi in central Mozambique and there is currently a cyclone moving across the Indian Ocean, which could reach Mozambique within 5 days.

Unlike the floods of 2000/1 the Mozambican government has been well prepared and has overseen the mass movement of people to evacuation centers, keeping the number of deaths to below 30, however it is unclear how long the government can afford to maintain this operation. The Red Cross has launched a $6 Million appeal to help. Many women and children have moved, leaving men behind to protect what remains of ruined crops which were on the point of harvest. The danger is that people will attempt to return to their flooded villages from overloaded evacuation centers, just as the floodwaters rise further.

There are three roles for hovercraft in this current situation:

• Support of relief centres as access routes become further compromised by increased flooding.
• Food aid and relief to groups of people who decided to remain in flooded villages.
• Emergency evacuation as flood waters rise further.

The recent capacity HoverAid has gained by operating hovercraft in nearby Madagascar, combined with our history of flood relief work in the region places HoverAid in a good position to respond. We have a hovercraft 250km from the floods in neighbouring Zimbabwe which we would like to move to the flooded area. From discussions with World Vision, Tear Fund, Oxfam, the World Food Programme and others it is clear that the destruction of crops ready for harvest may well have the greatest impact, with relief preparations being made for the coming three months. Following the floods, reaching some areas will remain difficult and hovercraft will be able to offer support during the initial re-building phase.

In previous floods we were able to deliver food supplies and doctors where none had previously gone, we managed to reach the otherwise unreachable. It is time to do so again.

River Rover 403 is currently in Harare, Zimbabwe. Given the current political situation it may require some negotiation to enable the hovercraft to leave the country, however with such urgent need so close by we feel there is a realistic likelihood of the Zimbabwean Authorities showing a degree of flexibility.

We feel it is imperative that HoverAid send personnel to the region as soon as possible.

How Can You Help?

There are three ways you can help:

1. Your time
   A huge part of the effort in previous years has been here at home: raising awareness of the issues; spending hours on the phone; giving up free time to collect bits of equipment; running the office whilst keeping the day job going; raising the necessary funds to keep the hovercraft available; serving the people of Mozambique. If you have some time available and would like to help, please let us know.
2. Your support
   A hovercraft is far cheaper than a helicopter to run, but as HoverAid is only a small organization we urgently need to raise £13,180 in order to be able to safely deploy, run, and recover River Rover 403. We also need volunteers to staff a coordinating office in the UK.
   
3. Your prayers To help in Mozambique we need RR403 to cross the border out of Zimbabwe – please pray for a smooth border crossing with such an unusual vehicle.

Please help HoverAid to respond. This could be by circulating this appeal among friends, organisations and churches or by making a donation.