c. 2000 Religion News Service
(UNDATED) _ As aid workers scramble to rescue as many as 1 million residents displaced by three weeks of heavy rains and flooding in Mozambique, President Clinton on Wednesday (March 1) approved the deployment of 900 U.S. troops to deliver emergency equipment and supplies to the flood-ravaged country.
“The whole infrastructure there has just been destroyed _ homes and crops and roads and bridges,” said Jennifer Lindsey of Catholic Relief Services, the official overseas relief and development arm of the Roman Catholic Church. “It’s unbelievable.”
Catholic Relief Services has already dispatched two members of its emergency response team to the flood-ravaged area, said Lindsey.
“Right now we’re looking at working with local partners to find out how to address the populations’ needs,” said Lindsey, adding that the agency intends to recruit staff from its office in Zimbabwe to help flood victims. “We want to help them rebuild their communities, help them rebuild crops and homes and roads.”
Clinton said he was “deeply saddened by the devastation.
“The thoughts and prayers of the American people are with the people of the region as they cope with this disaster,” he added.
The 900 troops most likely will be deployed from Europe, according to administration officials, who said they expect to deliver the emergency aid within a few days.
The United States, which has already committed $12.8 million in emergency aid, also authorized six C-130 transport planes to deliver relief supplies along with six MH-53 helicopters to assist with rescue operations.
The southeast African nation has been devastated since late February by flooding brought on by swelling rivers and torrential rains from tropical storms.
United Nations officials, who have requested about $14 million to help aid the country, estimate thousands of people have died in the flooding. Many of the 800,000 to 1 million people stranded by the floodwaters have not eaten nor had clean water in days.
More than a dozen faith-based aid agencies have rushed to help victims of the flooding, including Baptist World Aid, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, and World Relief, the international assistance arm of the National Association of Evangelicals.
“Our staff has been running rescue boats since the floods started and we’ve been going nonstop since then,” said Linda Keys of World Relief. “It’s a very chaotic situation right now _ some of our staff are among those trapped in trees and rooftops. We’ve got people working in relief centers to help with sanitation and health needs. More people could wind up dying from waterborne diseases like cholera and malaria, and that needs to be addressed immediately in order to prevent a large epidemic.”
Transporting medical supplies to Mozambique is also a top priority for MAP International, a Georgia-based organization that partnered with Food for the Hungry to deliver medicine to the country.
“We’re sending out an air shipment of antibiotics and anti-fungal medication,” said John Garvin, director of relief for MAP International. “We’re distributing water purification tablets along with medicine for worms and diseases _ like malaria and cholera _ caused by contaminated water and contaminated food. We’re also planning to send a shipment of supplies like gauze, creams, ointments, bandages for cuts, abrasions, lacerations and some suture materials. We’re putting stuff in there that can be put to use as soon as possible.”
In addition to addressing the flood victims’ immediate needs, said Keys, World Relief is also focusing on helping with long-term recovery.
“Their long-term problems are very critical _ the harvest there has been destroyed, including seeds that would have been used for next season’s plantings,” said Keys. “As the waters recede we’ll be working to provide seeds and tools for replanting, and we’ll also help families restart their businesses and rebuild their homes. People in Mozambique know how to take care of themselves; they just need the tools to help them out of this situation.”
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