IOM response teams have been deployed to flood affected areas
throughout Zimbabwe to bring assistance and assess the needs of
thousands of homeless families.

In the northern low-lying Zambezi Valley district of Muzarabani,
IOM has identified 220 households in need of urgent assistance. Aid
in the form of tarpaulins for temporary shelter, blankets, mosquito
nets, water purifying tablets and Information, Education and
Communication (IEC) materials on HIV/AIDS, cholera, malaria and
diarrhea has already been distributed in coordination with local
authorities and community leaders.

Floods have also affected areas around the eastern town of
Chipinge on the Mozambican border. Following assessments carried
out by IOM teams and local governmental partners, relief in the
form of tarpaulins, blankets, mosquito nets, water purifying
tablets and health related information material has also been
distributed to more than 800 particularly vulnerable
households.

In Tongogara refugee camp, which was also affected by rising
waters from the Dakate and Save Rivers, IOM is providing mosquito
nets to some 700 affected households. 

Further needs assessments are planned in the coming days to
remote outlying areas of Chipinge, such as Chisumbanje, Garhwa and
Mahenye in coordination with OCHA, UN partners and local
authorities.

In the south western Matebeleland Province, joint assessment
missions carried out by IOM and its partners in the flood-prone
areas of Sipepa and Tsholotsho indicate that crops have been
affected by the incessant rains.

In the south-eastern and southern regions of Chiredzi and
Mwenzi, preliminary assessments carried out in IOM in coordination
with local partners indicate that few households have been severely
affected by the rains.  Further assessments are planned in the
coming days in flood-prone locations in the district of Gutu,
Masvingo province.

Suburbs of the capital, Harare, have also been affected by the
floods with the Harare Residents Association reporting that that a
large number of households have been damaged with walls washed
away.

Assessments carried out by IOM teams in some sections of
Caledonia indicate that the sanitation system has been affected
with cases of diarrhea being reported. Water purifying tablets have
been distributed and IOM is currently deploying a mobile
clinic.

For further information, please contact:

Dyane Epstein

IOM Harare

Tel +263 433 50 48

E-mail: "mailto:depstein@iom.int" target="_blank" title=
"">depstein@iom.int