Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi on Thursday confirmed that humanitarian assistance would be delivered to families affected by Cyclone Idai.
Speaking in Beira, the president said that after 15 days of searching and rescuing victims, the national emergency action was entering the next crucial stage of providing humanitarian aid to those affected including vulnerable families, pregnant women and orphaned children.
So far, 1.85 million people have been affected in Mozambique, with 33,600 houses completely destroyed or damaged and 1,500 people injured.
“Humanitarian assistance is based on five key pillars: food assistance, medical assistance, property and shelter assistance, water supply assistance and environmental sanitation assistance,” said Nyusi.
The Agriculture spokesman, Hamilton Chimala said that around 420,000 metric tonnes of maize had been lost, representing roughly 12% of the country’s forecast output of 3.3 million metric tonnes in the 2018/19 farming season.
The government said it would distribute farm implements in the affected regions and promised to accelerate the reconstruction of the center region to resume normal life of people.
According to the president, the resumption of life in disaster-hit areas requires a readjustment of assistance provided, which should be oriented to agricultural inputs, construction materials among others.
Nyusi also announced that measures would be taken to mitigate the social impact of affected families in the central region by suspending or reducing fees charged in the public health, transportation and energy system.
The government also committed to spend a further $18million to deal with the aftermath of the cyclone.
