Water Wheel Nov/Dec 2020: Environmental Refugees

Abstract

Extreme events driving people from their homes A little over 20 years ago, on 1 March 2000, Rosita Mabuiango was born in a tree in southern Mozambique as floodwaters from the Limpopo River swirled below. The story made headlines around the world and highlighted the human element of the devastating floods, during which some 800 lives were lost and more than 100 000 people displaced. It helped open hearts and minds to the people’s plight, and foreign aid and donor funding poured in for humanitarian assistance. Mozambique was able to establish resettlement camps and subsequently work-forassistance programmes to encourage people to relocate to areas further away from floodplains. In 2013, the region experienced severe flooding again, and the impact in Gaza Province exceeded that of the earlier floods, with 150 000 people temporarily displaced.

Categories