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Flooding brings more misery to vulnerable households
African Press Organisation
January 11, 2008

http://appablog.wordpress.com/2008/01/11/zimbabwe-flooding-brings-more-misery-to-vulnerable-households/

Relentless rain continues to cause severe flooding in many areas of northeastern of Zimbabwe, leaving severe destruction and affecting at least
8,000 people.

In Chipinge district on the Mozambican border, IOM teams continue to assess and register flood- affected families to ensure they receive much needed assistance in the form of mosquito nets, tarpaulins, blankets, water purifying tablets and Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials on cholera, diarrhea, malaria and HIV/AIDS. Over the past week, more than 800 vulnerable households have received assistance.

Many crops have been washed away and households who have been dependent on monthly food aid from the World Food Programme have seen their food stocks destroyed and are now depending on other households in the communities who managed to salvage their own stocks.

In the low-lying Zambezi Valley district of Muzarabani, where IOM has been providing aqua tabs, tarpaulins, blankets and mosquito nets as well as IEC materials to flood affected households, the situation seems to have improved with no further emergency interventions planned at this stage.

In the district of Gutu, in Masvingo province, IOM teams have found that crops and granaries have been severely affected by flood waters. Some families who have lost their home and belongings have been forced into makeshift shelters whilst waiting for waters to subside.

In Harare, the communities of Epworth and Caledonia are particularly affected by the rains with the collapse of building structures and a break down of sanitary infrastructures. In Caledonia alone, 219 households were destroyed and shallow wells are now overflowing. To address the health concerns of flood affected communities, IOM has dispatched a mobile health clinic and continues its distribution of aqua tabs, mosquito nets, plastic sheeting and tarpaulins.

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