Period covered by this update: 17 April to 30 May 2013
CHF 266,514 was allocated from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) on 7 February 2013 to support the National Society in delivering assistance to 700 flood affected households or 3,500 beneficiaries. Unearmarked funds to repay DREF are encouraged.
Summary:
CHF 266,514 was allocated from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) on 7 February 2013 to support the National Society in delivering assistance to 700 flood affected households or 3,500 beneficiaries. Unearmarked funds to repay DREF are encouraged.
Continuous heavy rains across the country since February have resulted in floods and subsequent large-scale destruction of properties and infrastructure, badly affecting Matebeleland South, Matebeleland North, Midlands, Masvingo, Mashonaland Central and Manicaland. Up to 125 people died in the floods and storms and an estimated 9,700 persons were affected, around half of which require urgent humanitarian assistance.
This DREF operation was launched on 7 February to assist up to 700 displaced families (3,500 people) with temporary shelter and basic household items. ZRCS, with support from IFRC, complemented the emergency shelter and non-food items’ assistance with emergency health, water and sanitation and hygiene promotion activities, to help reduce health risks for affected families. While distributions were underway, it was learned that an originally targeted district was subsequently supported with similar items by other organizations in the area, resulting in 183 non-food item packages being freed up and undistributed.
During the course of the operational timeframe, a hailstorm hit Mberengwa district, affecting some 581 families. Unusually large hailstones hit this non-traditional risk prone area, killing two children, injuring others and leaving homes, livelihoods and infrastructure destroyed. ZRCS, using the procured but undistributed non-food items allocated under this DREF operation, were able to respond quickly to the disaster and support 180 of the most vulnerable families affected. This operation is expected to be implemented over four months, and will be completed by 7 June 2013; a Final Report will be made available three months after the end of the operation (by 7 September 2013).
The Belgian Red Cross/ Belgian government and Netherlands Red Cross/ Netherlands government contributed to the replenishment of the DREF allocation made for this operation.
The major donors and partners of DREF include the Australian, American and Belgian governments, the Austrian Red Cross, the Canadian Red Cross and government, Danish Red Cross and government, DG ECHO, the Irish and the Italian governments, the Japanese Red Cross Society, the Luxembourg government, the Monaco Red Cross and government, the Netherlands Red Cross and government, the Norwegian Red Cross and government, the Spanish Government, the Swedish Red Cross and government, the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), the Medtronic and Z Zurich Foundations, and other corporate and private donors. Details of DREF contributions are found on: http://www.ifrc.org/what/disasters/responding/drs/tools/dref/donors.asp
IFRC, on behalf of ZRCS, would like to extend its thanks to all for their generous contributions.