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SA ready to help flooded Moz
15/01/2008 20:43 - (SA)
Johannesburg - South Africa stands ready to help Mozambique, where floods have displaced 57 000 people, the South African Department of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday.
"We share in the pain of the people of Mozambique occasioned by the floods," said Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa.
However, he was not aware of any request by Mozambique at this stage for assistance.
So far, three people have died in the floods, 1 000 homes have been destroyed and 37 000 hectares of crops washed away, the United Nations said in a statement on Tuesday, quoting government assessments.
"In the last 48 hours, the major rivers in the country were still rising.
"The Save River yesterday rose two metres above the red alert level and the Cahora Bassa dam was discharging 6 600 cubic metres per second," the UN said.
"We are supporting the government to minimise the negative impact of flooding to people's lives," said UN resident co-ordinator in Mozambique Ndolamb Ngokwey.
The UN was providing food assistance, provision of education materials, water and sanitation supplies, and health and nutrition support based on need.
Pre-positioned emergency supplies were being distributed in the affected areas, it said.
The Mozambican government was responding and was coping with the situation. There appeared to be no need yet for an international humanitarian response.
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