The workers now have moved from rescue to relief.

Today, one of the grim tasks faced is the burial of newly found bodies. In Chockwe, aid workers dug a mass grave for 38 flood victims. In ravaged towns the smell of death hangs heavy and residents are temporarly fleeing their homes to escape the stench of rotting bodies and animal carcases.

Survivors, by the 10s of thousands, are pouring into Mozambican relief camps. They survived the flooding, which at this point is said to have taken 400 lives, but the struggle is just beginning. The question now is how to survive in post-flood Mozambique..

The population at the relief camps has been estimated at over a quarter million people. Quarters are cramped, conditions are said to be poor at the 75 makeship camps, which are scattered throughout the central and southern portions of Mozambique. It was reported it takes over one hundred tons of food daily just to feed the flood refugees..

And supplies reportedly are running short. Clean water supplies are low. Officials fear the lack of clean water, and the forced use of contaminated water, could lead to outbreaks of cholera..

Survivors find the lack of supplies to be like salt in already stinging wounds. Many have gone without food and water for multiple days at a time already. They had to cling to trees, or sit on roof tops as they were awaiting rescue parties. Many only could be rescued by helicopter and by the time aid came, some had not eaten for as long as a week..

Not surprisingly, as supplies grow short, so do tempers. Fights reportedly have broken out during water and food disbursements..

Although the official death count today stands at 400, rescuers estimate that figure could move into the thousands once the waters finally recede, and the searchers can find more bodies..

The need for post-flood aid will be great. The Mozambique national disaster center said 473,000 people will need food aid. Overall, almost a million people were affected by the flood from a population that numbers 19 million people..

Many countries have responded to Mozambique's plight including South Africa, Germany, France and England. They have sent over planes to deliver food and other aid to the Limpopo River Valley (north, about 125 miles away from the capital of Maputo) and the Save River valley (about 500 miles north of the capital). Both areas were heavily ravaged by the flooding..

The United States and Spain are expected to join the operations by Tuesday.

-----By John Fisher, for A.M.E. Today