300,000 people still in need of assistance after Cyclone Kenneth

Three weeks after Cyclone Kenneth made landfall in northern Mozambique, over 300,000 people continue to need humanitarian assistance in the coastal provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports.

Cyclone Kenneth, the second category 3 cyclone to hit Mozambique, brought widespread destruction and displacement in the north-eastern province of Cabo Delgado after making landfall on 25 April 2019.

The cyclone struck populations already vulnerable due to a fragile health system and weak water and sanitation infrastructure.

According to the Government of Mozambique, 45,000 houses have been either damaged or destroyed while many people are still in need for humanitarian assistance.

IOM on Friday conducted a distribution in cooperation with UNICEF, including tarps, water purification drops and soap for nearly 300 families in the heavily affected Macomia district area of Mucojo.

Materials were delivered by helicopter because roads to the area are washed out and littered with fallen trees.

IOM has been responding to urgent shelter needs following Cyclone Kenneth through the incoming management of Non-Food Item (NFI) kits, and delivering to humanitarian partners, who are carrying out distributions.

So far, IOM has delivered over 7,000 plastic sheets to partners for distribution in Cabo Delgado (Macomia, Ibo Islands, and Quissinga) and Nampula (Erati and Memba) in order to respond to urgent shelter needs.

(CGTN)