The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors. www.ochaonline.un.org

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Southern Africa • Floods and Cyclones Situation Update# 1 25 January 2012

This bulletin was issued by the Regional Office for Southern Africa (ROSA). It covers the period of 15 to 25 January 2012. The timing of the next report will depend on changes in flood conditions.

I. HIGHLIGHTS/KEY PRIORITIES • Tropical Cyclone Funso is still in the Mozambique Channel, bringing rainfall to the coasts of

Mozambique and Madagascar, but not expected to make landfall. • More than 51,000 have been affected by flooding in southern Mozambique alone, and information is

expected shortly on the impact of Tropical Cyclone Funso in central and northern Mozambique. • In southern Malawi, rescue and evacuation operations are underway in flood-affected areas. An

estimated 4,000 people are affected. • Flooding has occurred in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in South Africa, affecting

hundreds of people; one municipality in Limpopo Province declared a disaster area. • Rainfall is expected to continue over Mozambique and Malawi during the next two weeks, which

could worsen flood conditions.

II. Regional Rainfall Situation Overview

As the region enters the most critical phase of the rainfall season, a number of countries are experiencing extensive flooding, specifically Mozambique, South Africa and Malawi. Humanitarian Country Teams are supporting government responses in all affected countries, except South Africa. To date, no reports of significant flooding have been received from Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zambia or Zimbabwe.

Tropical Cyclone Funso, which formed in the Mozambique Channel on 18 January 2012, continues to bring heavy rainfall to the coasts of Mozambique and Madagascar as it moves in a south-easterly direction. It is currently a category 4 storm, but is not expected to make landfall. The latest trajectory of Funso can be found under the Mozambique section.

According to the adjacent rainfall forecast, rains are expected to continue over the eastern part of the region over the next two weeks, which could worsen flood conditions in Mozambique and southern Malawi. Significant rainfall is also expected over Angola and northern Namibia, as well as northern Madagascar, and these areas should be closely monitored.

OCHA Situation Report

The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors. www.ochaonline.un.org

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III. Madagascar

Although its centre is hundreds of kilometers from the Malagasy coast, Tropical Cyclone Funso is causing heavy rainfall over the western coast of the Madagascar, as well as rough seas that have led to localized flooding in two coastal villages. Local disaster management committees, with the National Bureau of Risk and Disaster Management (BNGRC), the Malagasy Red Cross Society and CARITAS took precautionary measures and evacuated an estimated 60 households (300 people) to local schools and other public buildings on 24 January 2012. However, the situation has since improved and almost all of those evacuated have already returned to their homes. The main roads are all still passable, and relief supplies have been pre-positioned in this area in case of this eventuality.

IV. Malawi

Since 22 January 2012, southern Malawi has been receiving continuous heavy rainfall, leading to large scale flooding in Nsanje District. The full impact of these floods are not yet known, but according to the latest information received from the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DODMA), an estimated 2,949 people have been moved to higher ground, some of whom are being housed in various public buildings.

At a Humanitarian Coordination Team meeting that took place on 25 January 2012 the following was agreed: • For planning purposes and until more information is received from ongoing assessments, a working

figure of 4,000 people (800 households) affected will be adopted; • Two weeks’ worth of food will be dispatched to Nsanje District on 26 January 2012; • UNICEF-provided survival kits for the 800 households will be dispatched immediately. Each survival kit

contains two blankets, two mosquito nets, two pots, five cups, five plates, two plastic sheets, a jerry-can and a bucket;

• The Health Ministry is chlorinating water in the affected communities and has already dispatched essential medical supplies to district health centres. No cholera cases have been recorded as yet, but preventative activities have begun;

• The district councils have been requested by DODMA to ensure that people are registered and that community workers, especially health surveillance assistants, are monitoring conditions at the temporary sites;

• A Cluster Leads meeting will take place on 25 January 2012 to discuss the next steps.

More information is expected shortly from the Malawi Defense Force, who is at the moment evacuating communities with rubber boats and a helicopter. As previously noted, rain is still falling over southern Malawi and is forecasted to continue into next week, which could worsen current flood conditions. To date no request for further international assistance has been received.

Excluding these significant floods in southern Malawi, DODMA has been responding to the impacts of numerous small and medium scale floods and storms since the start of the rainfall season, which have affected a total of 3,878 households (19,390 people). Relief items have already been provided to these affected households in a number of districts, and logistical arrangements to provide relief items in others are underway.

V. Mozambique

Mozambique has over the past week been affected by two tropical storms. Around 18 January 2012, Moderate Tropical Storm Dando formed over southern Mozambique and caused significant flooding in the provinces of Maputo, Gaza and Inhambane.

Only days later, Tropical Storm Funso formed in the Mozambique Channel, bringing heavy rains and flooding to the northern and central regions of the country, particularly Zambézia Province. Funso, currently a category 4 Tropical Cyclone, is still in the Mozambique Channel and moving in a south-easterly direction. It continues to bring rainfall to the coasts of Mozambique and Madagascar, but is not expected to make landfall. The latest trajectory of Funso can be seen in the graphic below.

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OCHA Situation Report

The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors. www.ochaonline.un.org

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To be added or deleted from this SitRep mailing list, please email zeelie@un.org or visit ochaonline.un.org/rosea.

Sources: Relevant national disaster management authorities, relevant UN Resident Coordinator’s Offices, Namibia Hydrological Services, ZRA Zambia. NASA, NOAA, Tropical Storm Risk.

Note: Household size estimated at five persons, except for Angola, where it is estimated at 6.8 persons, and South Africa, where it is estimated at 3.69 persons.

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Southern Africa Flood and Cyclone Update as at 25 January 2012

Disclaimer:The designations employed and the presentation of material on thismap do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on thepart of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legalstatus of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, orconcerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Map ID:ROSEA195v1_Southern Africa Flood UpdateCreation Date: 25 January 2012Data Sources: Flood Information: Humanitarian Partners on the groundMapping Data: HYCOS, GIST, ESRI, UN OCHA, ReliefWeb, TSR

Legend

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Please note that flood areas are mapped at district level, except for South Africa,Namibia and Mozambique, where some data was provided at regional level only.*Average household size is estimated at 5 people.

Since 22 January 2012, southern Malawi has been receiving continuous heavy rainfall,leading to large scale flooding in Nsanje District. While the full impact of the floods is notyet known, a working figure of 4,000 people (800 households) affected is being used.

In northern Namibia, heavy rainfall between 16 and 22January caused flows in the Cuvelai Oshanas (pans),and localized flooding was observed. About 400 peoplemoved to a relocation camp in Oshakati Region. InOmusati Region, 250 people are being housed inrelocation camps and around 60 schools have beentemporarily closed. However, the situation is improving.

In South Africa, Tropical Storm Dando caused heavy rains in theprovinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga that resulted in theflooding of many areas. Maruleng municipality has been declareda disaster area. According to preliminary reports 220 houses weredamaged in Limpopo, while in Mpumalanga 50 households and15 schools were affected. These floods have also resulted inextensive damage to bridges and road infrastructure, temporarilycutting off a number of villages and communities.

Tropical Cyclone Funso is causingheavy rainfall over the western coastof the Madagascar, as well as roughseas that have led to localizedflooding in two coastal villages.Precautionary measures were takenand an estimated 60 households(300 people) were evacuated on 24January 2012. However, the situationhas since improved and almost all ofthose evacuated have returned totheir homes.

Around 18 January 2012, Moderate Tropical Storm Dando formed over southernMozambique and caused significant flooding in the provinces of Maputo, Gaza andInhambane. Only days later, Tropical Storm Funso formed in the Mozambique Channel,bringing heavy rains and flooding to the northern and central regions of the country,particularly Zambézia Province. As at 24 January 2012, numbers of affected are asfollows: 48,830 people in Gaza Province, 1,235 people in Maputo Province, and450 people in Inhambane Province . Preliminary information indicated that 2,575households (12,875 people) are affected in Zambezia Province, but this number isexpected to rise as rapid assessment teams return.

Tropical Cyclone FunsoTropical Storm Dando

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International Boundaries

Main RiversDams and Lakes

Flood Affected Areas