Lift up cyclone-devastated families in Mozambique

The Peace Winds Mozambique team is conducting needs assessment and emergency relief activities in Inhambane Province, which was hit by Cyclone Freddy in February and March. The cyclone caused extensive damage throughout Mozambique and neighboring Malawi, but Inhambane  was the most affected area when Freddy first made landfall in  Mozambique on Feb. 24, before going on to become the longest-lived tropical cyclone in history, traversing the entire Indian Ocean for over a month.

During surveys in Inhambane City and the Bilangkulo and Inhassoro districts of Inhambane Province, we found that as of March 15, houses were still flooded and residents who were unable to return to their homes were living in temporary shelters in warehouses and church buildings.

At the temporary shelters, food was in short supply and meals were only served once a day. In addition, the persisting rainy season means sanitary conditions are likely to deteriorate, and the inevitable appearance of mosquitoes will be a constant inconvenience for residents, interrupting sleep and causing irritation, especially among young children.

Peace Winds provided emergency supplies to victims in temporary shelters, including mosquito nets and hygiene kits.

Tropical Cyclone Freddie moved back and forth across the Straits of Mozambique and, as of March 20, had affected 886,487 people, taking 165 lives.  It destroyed or damaged 103,000 dwellings, and flooded at least  25,000 more homes in Mozambique. In addition, 11,158 cholera cases  have been reported across  eight provinces due to deteriorating sanitary conditions, a situation that desperately needs to be addressed.

Peace Winds is continuing its emergency relief response, giving priority to the affected areas and victims who have not yet received aid.

While this project is partly funded by Japan Platform, it could not succeed without your donations, for which we are truly grateful. We would like to ask for your continued support and cooperation in providing emergency humanitarian assistance in the devastated Inhambane Province of Mozambique. Thank you.

On March 7, Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) launched a preliminary emergency assessment of the damage caused by Tropical Cyclone Freddy, which brought heavy rains, flooding and landslides to southern Mozambique, taking lives and destroying thousands of homes.

The purpose of the survey was to assess the damage and understand the support needed in the area in order to  provide the most  appropriate emergency assistance, such as supplies distribution.

Tropical Cyclone Freddy tore through southern Mozambique from Feb. 24 to March 2 with devastating force, delivering torrential rains and resulting in widespread flooding. As of March 2, approximately 35,000 households and 166,000 people have been affected, and at least 10 deaths have been confirmed.

On March 11, the cyclone returned to Mozambique causing further damage.

That same day marked the 37th day of Tropical Cyclone Freddy's existence, making it the longest-lasting cyclone in history. Furthermore, its devastating force has been far greater than anything recorded in the region to date. In fact, its accumulated cyclone energy (ACE)—a measure of the energy released by a cyclone during its lifespan—set a new record for the southern hemisphere. (See: Yahoo! Japan. "Third ever trans-Indian Cyclone Freddie breaks Southern Hemisphere record".Yahoo! News. 2023-2-20. https://news.yahoo.co.jp/byline/morisayaka/20230220- 00338089)

PWJ  will continue to survey the area keeping in mind the  continued safety of the affected people.

We will inform you of future activities as soon as they are determined. Your continued support is greatly appreciated.