 |
|
|
|
Southern Africa floods 2008
Summary
- Tens of thousands of people across southern Africa have been affected by flooding, which has claimed 21 lives.
- Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Malawi and Swaziland have all been hit by the storms, which resulted in flooding in many areas.
- Crops have been destroyed, livestock lost, homes and personal belongings swept away by the rising waters.
- Mozambique is worst affected, with more than 55,000 people evacuated. Many are still recovering from flooding and a cyclone, which hit the country less than a year ago.
- The British Red Cross launched an appeal on 17 January 2008 to support the Red Cross Movement’s response, providing 150,000 people with emergency relief including clothing, blankets, mosquito nets, kitchen sets, jerry cans and plastic sheets.
Background
| |
| Since December heavy seasonal rains, which have arrived earlier than normally expected, have caused rivers in southern Africa to burst their banks and brought misery to almost 70,000 people across the region.
Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Malawi and Swaziland have all been hit by the storms, which have resulted in heavy flooding in many areas. | | |  | |
| The situation in Mozambique is particularly desperate, as it is less than a year since the country was hit by flooding, which was then immediately followed by a cyclone. Many of the communities affected were just starting to recover and now have to face another crisis.
According to the UN, the situation is likely to be worse than in 2000-2001 when floods killed 700 people and caused $500 million worth of damage in Mozambique.
Crops such as maize have been destroyed, livestock (cows, goats and chickens) lost, homes and personal belongings swept away by the rising waters. Thousands have been left with nothing, and now face possible food shortages and the prospect of going hungry.
Water levels are still rising and if the rains continue to fall at the same rate over the next week then the number of people affected will increase even further.
The Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement response
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is working across the region providing emergency relief to thousands of people.
| |
 | | | In Mozambique, Red Cross volunteers have been working around the clock helping construct temporary shelters and distributing tents, tarpaulins, plastic sheets, mosquito nets, and mattresses to people living in the worst affected areas. | |
| Mozambique Red Cross disaster preparedness programmes, put in place after floods devastated the country in 2000 and 2001, have saved thousands of lives – as people received warnings when levels began to rise and were able to move to higher grounds.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is appealing for more than £5 million to help more than 30,000 families across the region.
British Red Cross response
The British Red Cross opened an appeal on 17 January to support the work of the Red Cross Movement on the ground. The appeal will help fund non-food items for 150,000 people, including blankets, clothes, kitchen sets and tarpaulins.
The Southern Africa Appeal will cover present and near future flooding events in numerous countries within the African continent, including those currently affected and those potentially affected in the future.
In the event that we raise more money than can be reasonably and efficiently spent, any surplus funds will be used to help us prepare for and respond to other humanitarian disasters either overseas or here in the UK.
Find out about current emergencies | |
|
|
|
|
|
 | Related pages |
 | Related sites |
 |
| The British Red Cross is not responsible for the content of external sites. |
|
|
|
|
