When Tropical Cyclone Kenneth made landfall on April 25 in northern Mozambique, it brought flooding and devastation to a country still reeling from the impact of Cyclone Idai just six weeks before. The Humanitarian Coalition, working through member agency Save the Children and supported by the government of Canada, is in Mozambique providing urgent humanitarian assistance to people affected by the crisis.
Kenneth was the strongest storm to ever to hit northern Mozambique, causing flash flooding and destroying roads, leaving thousands of people stranded. Damage to infrastructure included water systems, schools and health facilities. Thousands of homes were destroyed, and people were forced to flee. There has also been a significant impact on agricultural and fishery livelihoods.
Save the Children, working in partnership with Oxfam in Mozambique, has been responding to the most urgent needs of survivors, such as shelter, blankets and cooking items, and water, hygiene and sanitation. The needs are urgent, especially in camps for displaced persons, where there is a high risk of the spread of disease.
Facts
• Tropical Cyclone Kenneth landed in northern Mozambique, after causing significant damage in the Comoros Islands
• it is the first time in recorded history that Mozambique is hit with two cyclones in the same storm season
• 43 deaths have been reported
• 47,000 houses were damaged or destroyed
• at least 19 health facilities were affected
• a cholera outbreak was declared in northern Mozambique on May 2
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Bill Chambers, President and CEO of Save the Children, said the situation in Mozambique is critical. “People are in urgent need of life-saving essentials like shelter and clean water to survive. Save the Children was able to act immediately to provide aid because we already have teams in Mozambique. We will also work with families to rebuild their communities so children have hope for a better future.”
Global Affairs Canada and the Humanitarian Coalition are supporting this response in Mozambique through the Canadian Humanitarian Assistance Fund (CHAF). The total contribution for the project is $350,000.
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For media inquiries, contact us at 613-239-2154 or media at humanitariancoalition dot ca
The Humanitarian Coalition (HC) brings together leading aid organizations to provide Canadians with a simple and effective way to donate during large-scale humanitarian emergencies. The HC also partners with Global Affairs Canada to enable its member agencies to respond to lesser-known small and medium-scale disasters.