1. Mozambique Flood 2000 Deaths 700+ Missing 50,000+ Cattle Lost 20,000
Food Aid needed for
0.5-1 million
Internally Displaced people
491,000
Crops/Tools lost
124,000 households
Schools destroyed
630
Health facilities severely damaged
42 (4 hospitals)
Worst Floods For
50 years
World Bank estimates floods cost Mozambique
US$275million – US$525million
Homeless
1 million

2. Physical Causes
In February 2000 there was severe rainfall in Mozambique, Africa.
Rivers started rising causing flooding in some areas of Mozambique.
A few weeks later and cyclone Eline hit bringing with her more rainfall and more problems for the people of Mozambique.
Heavy rain still continues and swollen rivers threaten more people.
A week after the cyclone hit flash floods began to occur.
Water levels continued to rise at shocking speeds.
The River Limpopo is a flood plain that provides good farming area. Many people live on this flood plain and other similar flood plains.
Other countries control the river flow upstream – they can open and close gates letting vast quantities of water through. Mozambique is prone to flooding, with seven major international rivers.
Mozambique is a poor vulnerable country that was not prepared for a major flood. There was a lack of equipment so flooding prediction could not happen. Communities were not well organised for evacuating. Although many people had heard the warnings to evacuate, they didn’t. This was because in 1977 villagers heard similar flood warnings. They evacuated and the very few possessions they had were stolen from their houses.

3. Human Causes
Destruction of Grassland in the high plateaus of southern Africa which normally act to soak up rainfall and release it slowly into the rivers. Water cannot infiltrate into ground.
Draining of the wetlands along the rivers for farming – these marshy areas normally store floodwaters. No-where for water to infiltrate into ground.
Huge growth of urban areas in South Africa creating lots of impermeable areas. Rapid Urbanisation.

4. Effects
Deaths
700+
Missing
50,000+
Cattle Lost
20,000
Food Aid needed for
0.5-1 million
Internally Displaced people
491,000
Crops/Tools lost
124,000 households
Schools destroyed
630
Health facilities severely damaged
42 (4 hospitals)
Worst Floods For
50 years
World Bank estimates floods cost Mozambique
US$275million – US$525million
Homeless
1 million
Disease and malnutrition in the months after the floods due to lack of sanitation, medical supplies, clean water and food.
The few bridges and roads that were in the country were washed away causing many social and economic problems.

5. Response
The Mozambican government requested $450 million in international aid at a donor conference held in Rome in early May, 2000.
Manage Effects
International aid from charities like the Red Cross and MEDC Governments .
US and UK army helped to rescue people in helicopters.
Huge refugee camps were set up for the homeless, but conditions in camps were poor – no sanitation, food, lack of medical supplies...
Poor infrastructure (lack of roads) made it difficult to transport supplies.
Communities given radios to listen for flood warnings, with people appointed to help evacuate their village.