Flood 2013

The Mozambique authorities issued an orange alert at the beginning of January 2013 for heavy rains which saw small-scale flooding affecting over 18 000 people in the country, leaving 9 dead. On January 2013, an institutional red alert was declared by the Disaster Management Coordination Council which continued through to February, resulting in the death of 113 people and the displacement of over 185 000 people.

Gift of the Givers Response:

Responding to the distress caused by the sheer magnitude of the flood in Mozambique, where a conservatively estimated 150 000 people were displaced and villages submerged, we augmented relief efforts mounted by the South African National Defence Force and offered boats, divers, aquatic rescue personnel, paramedics and medical teams.

In addition, a 200-ton emergency aid package was dispatched to Mozambique. Tents, blankets, new clothing, basic food items, ready-to-eat high-energy food supplements, bottled water, water purification tablets (sufficient to purify 2 million litres of water), plastic dishes, sanitary pads, diapers, medical supplies and a range of other necessary items was transported to and distributed in flood-affected areas of the country. The provision of an ambulance was also an integral part of our mission to Mozambique, where an estimated 30 000 people were fed for days until the floodwater subsided and they were able to return to their homes.