The Manica province government needs 1,107,614,747 meticais for the reconstruction after cyclones Chalane and Eloise, which severely hit seven districts of the region, leaving marks of death and destruction, in December 2020 and January 2021.
The information was revealed Monday by the delegate of the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD), Augusto Alexandre, during the meeting of the Emergency Operating Committee for public health (COE), which assessed and approved the action plan for the next 30 days of the state of emergency, under the guidance of the Secretary of State, Edson Macuácua.
As well as serving to repair the damage caused by tropical cyclones Chalane and Eloise, Alexandre said that part of the amount would cover the damage caused by intense rains accompanied by strong winds that have been falling in the province since last October. Chalane and Eloise left irreparable marks in seven districts, namely Gondola, Macate, Chimoio, Vanduzi, Sussundenga, Mossurize and Machaze.
The amount will be invested in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of public and private infrastructure, 5,160 homes, including 260 classrooms, 13 health units, and assistance to just over 30,000 people affected, as well as repairing other damage in the agriculture sector and areas related to the Mozambique Electricity Company (EDM).
Alexandre also stressed that, since the start of the rainy season in October 2020, combined effects had caused the death of 40 people, 11 others had contracted injuries and three are thought to be missing. On the other hand, 26 115 students and 607 teachers have been affected.
The two cyclones also destroyed 88 fish ponds, affecting an equal number of fish farmers, 119 343 hectares of various crops, with a focus on maize. The INGD delegate said that 1,720 families, or 8,189 people, had been helped with shelter kits, food and construction materials.
According to Alexandre, INGD is currently rehabilitating education sector infrastructures and distributing agricultural inputs to families in Machaze, Mossurize and Macate districts, while other institutions are trying to restore electricity and communication networks in the villages of Macate, Gondola, Machaze and Mossurize districts.
“We are sensitising the affected families for the sowing of the second season, short cycle and drought tolerant grains. There are negotiations with cooperation partners to support the affected families in agricultural inputs for the second season and we are doing permanent monitoring of weather conditions,” he said.
Augusto Alexandre also added that INGD, in partnership with the Social Communication Institute (ICS), is disseminating prevention measures for rains, strong winds, atmospheric discharges, floods and earthquakes.
The Secretary of State in Manica, Edson Macuácua, pointed out that after the presidential decree of public calamity situation takes effect, there will be the need to organise a provincial conference of post-cyclone reconstruction, with the purpose of analysing the general situation of the province.
Edson Macuácua also said that the population should learn lessons from natural phenomena, focusing on building houses using resilient materials.
“The conference will bring together members of the government, non-governmental organisations, civil society and the private sector so that together we can discuss, assess and analyse the situation in the province after the rainy and cyclonic season and, in a coordinated way, act with a view to reconstruction,” said Macuácua.
