The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has made it known that it needs 7.9 million dollars (499.2 million meticals) in additional support to continue supporting more than 362,000 people affected by cyclones Chido and Dikeledi, which occurred in the northern region of Mozambique.
In a report, the organisation recalled that the climatic events that took place in December and January, with the greatest incidence in the provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula, affected more than 736,000 people and caused the destruction of public and private infrastructure.
‘Many of the districts are also home to countless internally displaced people. This aggravated crisis emphasises the extreme challenges that displaced people face in recovering from armed conflicts and climate shocks,’ he said.
According to the organisation, the threat of additional cyclones this rainy season remains, which reinforces the importance of preparedness efforts to prevent further damage.
The UN agency also said that it has already supported around 30,000 people and that the additional support will be used to continue providing ‘crucial assistance’ to those affected by the cyclones in the country.
This week the government announced the allocation of 124.1 million dollars (8 billion meticals) for assistance and the rehabilitation of public infrastructure destroyed during cyclones Chido and Dikeledi.
‘The government has funding mechanisms available to deal with the damage caused, having analysed and approved at this session the response plan that amounts to 8 billion meticals, which will form the basis for assistance interventions and the rehabilitation of destroyed public infrastructure,’ said the spokesperson for the Council of Ministers, Inocêncio Impissa.
He also indicated that, in the first phase, the government will prioritise ‘immediate responses’ to the needs in the affected provinces, promising to mobilise resources for ‘medium and long-term interventions.’
On 13 January, severe tropical cyclone Dikeledi hit Mozambique, causing at least 11 deaths and affecting another 250,000 people, including the destruction of almost 20,000 homes, according to the latest official assessment by the authorities.
Cyclone Chido, which hit Mozambique on 14 December, caused the deaths of at least 120 people and affected 450,000 others.
Mozambique is considered one of the countries most severely affected by climate change in the world, facing cyclical floods and tropical cyclones during the rainy season, which runs from October to April.
