The United Nations (UN) agencies based in Mozambique have said they are on high alert ahead of the occurrence of intense tropical cyclone Freddy, which will hit the country today, Friday, 24 February.
According to Marta Guivambo, deputy emergency coordinator and programme officer at the World Food Programme (WFP), the agencies are monitoring the situation on the ground with a view to preventing further damage.
“WFP is working closely with the provincial authorities through the National Institute for Disaster Management (INGD). We have been participating in coordination activities and also in the various assessments that are taking place at the local level to respond to potential events. WFP will continue to monitor the situation together with the Government”, explained Marta Guivambo.
As Mozambique prepares for the impacts of Cyclone Freddy, she said that response efforts continue after the floods that affected Maputo province.
“WFP recently made logistical support available to the Government and humanitarian partners, including the deployment of a vehicle and a helicopter, which allowed rapid impact assessments of the most affected areas,” stressed the source.
The heavy rains that hit the southern region of Mozambique between 7 and 11 February caused widespread flooding and structural damage, mainly in the city and province of Maputo, where some 43,000 people, equivalent to 9,000 families, were affected and ten lost their lives.
