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Misanet.com / The Chronicle, 11 March - United Nations agencies are mobilizing logistical and emergency support to assist the Malawi Government respond to the impact of heavy rains and floods that that have affected about 335,000 people in 13 of the country's 25 districts. The move by the UN agencies follows an appeal made by the Government immediately after the affected districts were declared "disaster areas" on 22 February 2001. The appeal was repeated by the Vice President, the Rt, Hon. Justin Malewezi on 6 March, 2001 when he met representatives of international aid agencies. Agencies contributing to the initial response include the World Food Programme (WFP) which will launch a US$ 200,000 Immediate Response Action starting this week, when relief items that were being distributed by the Government are expected to run out. WFP will borrow maize, pulses and children supplementary food (Likuni phala) from existing in-country stocks of the current project in order that the distribution starts immediately when Government stocks are depleted. The organization is also designing a US$ 1,000,000 Emergency Operation (EMOP) that will provide food aid to the victims as they struggle to rebuild their homes and lives after the water has receded. The EMOP will run from 1st April to 30th June. The Food and Agriculture Organisation is planning a US$ 300,000 emergency technical cooperation project to support flood victims who have lost their crops with seeds, cuttings and small implements so that they can plant a winter crop. A team of health experts led by the Ministry of Health & Population and the World Health Organization (WHO) is reviewing and assessing the health situation of the affected populations. In the meantime, WHO has allocated US$ 30,000 for the emergency response. The UN agency has also requested its headquarters for medicine. UNICEF is making an assessment of estimated number of women and under-five children affected by the floods with a view to determine UNICEF's response. Currently, UNICEF estimates that a total of over 37,000 children under-five may be affected in the four most affected districts of Nsanje, Chikwawa, Salima and Nkhotakota. The United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Geneva has allocated an Emergency Grant of US$ 30,000 for local purchase of blankets, plastic sheeting and iodised salt to assist the affected population. In addition, the Government of Norway has provided, through OCHA, an emergency grant of US$ 30,000 towards the local purchase of additional blankets, plastic sheeting and iodised salt. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has initiated consultations on relief assistance for the displaced people with its Regional Office in Nairobi, while the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is allocating US$ 100,000 to meet some of the logistics support and management of operations. Specific areas of intervention include communication, distribution costs of relief items and monitoring and evaluation of the disaster situation. A team of UN Heads of Agencies in Malawi, who are also members of the Disaster Theme Group which includes representatives of civil society, are scheduled to visit some the affected districts this week to monitor the situation once all relief measures are in place.
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