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 The BBC's Matt Frei reports"Every tree contains a nest of despair"  real 28k  World Food Programme's Brenda BartonAid has to come now - the people cannot wait  real 28k |
Mozambique rescue efforts redouble
Thousands have taken refuge on rooftops
Helicopter crews are continuing to pluck survivors of Mozambique's catastrophic floods to safety from trees and rooftops.
Tens of thousands of people remain trapped by the rising waters and aid workers have warned that many could die before before relief gets to them.
Tens of thousands of people remain trapped by the rising waters and aid workers have warned that many could die before before relief gets to them.
If the governments of the world are going to help, the time is now - not tomorrow or the next day  |
Unicef
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South African military helicopters have been leading the operation, and have so far picked up more than 900 people from the treetops they had been clinging to for up to five days.
Further help is now on its way, after criticism from aid agencies of the slow response from international governments.
President Joaquim Chissano told the BBC that Mozambique needs at least $250m foreign in assistance to cope with the floods.
He said that figure was on the basis of one million people being affected by the floods - and infrastructure needing to be repaired to allow the rescue programme to proceed.
Asked to comment on international reaction to the crisis, the president said "it took time, but now the response is coming fast".
International response
British charities have joined forces to launch a massive appeal to help the victims of the flooding in Mozambique.
Two British transport aircraft carrying rubber boats and four Puma helicopters are on their way to Mozambique.
US President Bill Clinton has announced a joint task force to include C-130 transport aircraft, helicopters and 900 troops to help in the relief effort.
Further help is now on its way, after criticism from aid agencies of the slow response from international governments.
President Joaquim Chissano told the BBC that Mozambique needs at least $250m foreign in assistance to cope with the floods.
He said that figure was on the basis of one million people being affected by the floods - and infrastructure needing to be repaired to allow the rescue programme to proceed.
Asked to comment on international reaction to the crisis, the president said "it took time, but now the response is coming fast".
International response
British charities have joined forces to launch a massive appeal to help the victims of the flooding in Mozambique.
Two British transport aircraft carrying rubber boats and four Puma helicopters are on their way to Mozambique.
US President Bill Clinton has announced a joint task force to include C-130 transport aircraft, helicopters and 900 troops to help in the relief effort.
 Children are at particular risk from disease
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A US Defense Department spokesman said its contribution would include six transport planes, six heavy rescue helicopters, and small boats.
Some of the US troops are going to be diverted from a scheduled disaster relief exercise in Cameroon.
'The time to help is now'
The pledge of help from the US follows urgent appeals on Wednesday from the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef).
"If the governments of the world are going to help, the time is now - not tomorrow or the next day," Unicef executive director Carol Bellamy said in a statement.
Roy Trevady of the Save the Children charity sounded a despairing note: "I have to say that there has been a tremendous amount of effort, particularly in the last three or four days, but I would not say with much confidence that all the people that need to be evacuated and saved will be rescued in time."
Some of the US troops are going to be diverted from a scheduled disaster relief exercise in Cameroon.
'The time to help is now'
The pledge of help from the US follows urgent appeals on Wednesday from the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef).
"If the governments of the world are going to help, the time is now - not tomorrow or the next day," Unicef executive director Carol Bellamy said in a statement.
Roy Trevady of the Save the Children charity sounded a despairing note: "I have to say that there has been a tremendous amount of effort, particularly in the last three or four days, but I would not say with much confidence that all the people that need to be evacuated and saved will be rescued in time."
Aid to Mozambique |
Pledged or delivered:
Botswana
1m litres of fuel
Denmark
Emergency supplies
France
Helicopters Personnel Emergency supplies
Malawi
2 helicopters
Portugal
Emergency supplies
South Africa
Helicopters Personnel Emergency supplies
UK
5 helicopters Personnel Vehicles & boats Debt cancellation
US
6 helicopters 6 transport planes 900 personnel Emergency supplies |
Up to one million people are estimated to have lost their homes and are in need of urgent humanitarian relief throughout southern Africa.
Mozambique is the worst-affected country in a region which has been battered by wave after wave of flooding for more than two weeks.
Earlier, Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano expressed concern that aid was arriving "very slowly" to help the flood victims.
At present, the valleys of the Limpopo and Save Rivers in the south of the country are the worst affected.
There are increasing fears that the Zambezi valley could also suffer flooding, after the opening of the floodgates of the Kariba Dam on the Zimbabwe-Zambia border.
Refugees
Official figures say 200 people have died in the flooding, but the eventual death toll is expected to be in the thousands, after whole villages disappeared beneath the floodwaters.
Mozambique is the worst-affected country in a region which has been battered by wave after wave of flooding for more than two weeks.
Earlier, Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano expressed concern that aid was arriving "very slowly" to help the flood victims.
At present, the valleys of the Limpopo and Save Rivers in the south of the country are the worst affected.
There are increasing fears that the Zambezi valley could also suffer flooding, after the opening of the floodgates of the Kariba Dam on the Zimbabwe-Zambia border.
Refugees
Official figures say 200 people have died in the flooding, but the eventual death toll is expected to be in the thousands, after whole villages disappeared beneath the floodwaters.
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In the space of two days, 30,000 people have flocked to the main refugee camp at Chaquelane, 160 km (100 miles) north-east of Maputo.
Severe diarrhoea has taken hold among the young children at the camp, where clean water is scarce.
Aid workers are trying to persuade the refugees to move on to larger towns where supplies are more readily available, but many are too traumatised or exhausted to do so.
Panic among those fleeing the rising waters has separated children from their parents, and relief agencies are setting up programmes to try to reunite families.
Severe diarrhoea has taken hold among the young children at the camp, where clean water is scarce.
Aid workers are trying to persuade the refugees to move on to larger towns where supplies are more readily available, but many are too traumatised or exhausted to do so.
Panic among those fleeing the rising waters has separated children from their parents, and relief agencies are setting up programmes to try to reunite families.
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