UN releasing over $3 million to aid southern African flood victims

The United Nations has released over $3 million in emergency relief funding in response to the devastation caused by torrential rains in southern Africa, which have led to the deaths of over one hundred people and left tens of thousands homeless, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said today.

The majority of the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) disbursement, some $2.3 million, will go to a number of UN agencies providing urgent relief to victims of severe flooding in Angola, where the death toll has climbed to 60 since the beginning of the year.

OCHA reported that in Angola alone the floods have affected an estimated 220,000 people, forced 81,000 from their homes, destroyed around 4,000 houses and inundated 231,000 hectares of cropland.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Word Health Organization (WHO) will use the money to finance the supply of safe water and provide public sanitation, support for displaced communities and health projects.

Meanwhile, the President of the Comoros declared a national emergency after floods killed two people, and an estimated 500 households – roughly 2,500 people – have been affected in 41 villages that are underwater.

In addition, water tanks have been polluted and toilets are overflowing, creating concerns for the spread of waterborne diseases. There is also significant infrastructure damage, especially to roads and bridges. The UN Resident Coordinator convened a meeting with development partners to discuss response measures.

Namibia has also been hit hard by the flooding, which has killed some 92 people and displaced 54,581, while more than 350,000 people have been affected by the rising waters. Over 50 per cent of roads have also been damaged in the affected areas and at least 412 schools damaged and disrupted, including 159 closed, interrupting the education of over 56,106 pupils.

The Namibian Government has allocated $11 million in response to the crisis, establishing 21 relocation camps in the affected regions and distributing non-food relief supplies, to go with a $2.7 million Flash Appeal launched by the UN – which includes a $1.3 million CERF component that has been fully funded.

In Zambia, where an estimated 600,000 people are affected by flooding, an OCHA assessment report contains detailed recommendations on responding to urgent infrastructure, health, water and sanitation, agriculture, food security and shelter requirements.