16 February 2012
The passage of destruction caused by tropical storm Dando and cyclone Funso through Mozambique has affected more than 117,000 people and left 40 dead since 18 January.
The first to hit was the tropical storm which battered the southern provinces of Maputo, Gaza and Inhambane. In these regions, more than 52,000 people are affected by the severe flooding caused by Dando and thousands of homes and schools have been flooded, with infrastructure being particularly badly damaged. Two days after the storm, cyclone Funso left its mark in the north and centre of the country - here an estimated 65,000 people are believed to have been affected. The province of Zambezia has been particularly hard hit - with torrential rains and winds of over 200km per hour, houses, schools and health centres have all been left damaged.
The subsequent flooding of latrines, damage to water supplies and the huge number of displaced people, have led to a high risk of disease outbreaks and water-related epidemics such as cholera, especially in overcrowded evacuation centres with inadequate sanitation facilities.
Tearfund and our partners are mobilised in the area, and have already provided a rapid response, focusing on the provision of clean water, shelter, and food to thousands of those most in need. Blankets, plastic sheets, food baskets and jerry cans have all been distributed throughout the regions and our partners are now currently assessing the level of disaster in the communities and planning their actions for the months ahead. The local churches are actively supporting affected households and, with encouragement from our partners, are opening up their homes and churches for those needing shelter.
- Pray for those displaced and suffering from hardships caused by the extreme weather - pray God will be a source of comfort and support to them in their struggles.
- Pray for the work of the Tearfund partners in Mozambique,that their work would make a meaningful difference to the situation and in the lives of those they reach.
- Give thanks for the current peaceful situation in Mozambique which allows help to safely reach those most in need. Pray that the country will recover to have a strong, stable future.
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