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Mozambique Struggles to Recover from Last Year's Devastating Cyclone Idai

Lisa Schlein

   GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - United Nations agencies report Mozambique is
   still struggling to recover from last year's devastating Cyclone Idai,
   which triggered a humanitarian crisis that persists to this day.

   Cyclone Idai, one of the worst tropical storms to affect Africa, struck
   Central Mozambique one year ago, killing more than 1,300 and rendering
   hundreds of thousands homeless. It caused widespread destruction of
   infrastructure and wiped out the livelihoods of millions of people.

   Survivors are having a tough time getting back on their feet.

   The United Nations reports 2.5 million people, half of them children,
   are in need of humanitarian assistance to survive.

   The [1]World Food Program reports communities in the south of the
   country are suffering from severe food shortages because of prolonged
   drought. Moreover, it says conditions are worsening for a growing
   number displaced by intensified jihadist violence in the north.

   WFP spokeswoman Elizabeth Byrs told VOA her agency does not have the
   money to carry out essential reconstruction. She said last month WFP
   was forced to cut food rations in half for more than half a million
   people working on Idai recovery projects.

   "This month, in March, we had to stop, to halt completely the rations.
   That is why we are concerned with the funding situation, because we
   cannot help those small farmers who have lost their crops and who
   cannot plant anymore. So, they need this work and food for work
   assistance to survive," said Byrs.

References

   1. http://www.wfpusa.org/

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