Hundreds of Angolan families in dozens of villages are facing serious food shortages for months to come after flooding and hail storms wrecked essential crops.
Peanut and cassava plants were destroyed by the extreme weather last month in the northern province of Uige.
Tearfund partner IERA has been assessing aid requirements in several areas and has found widespread need, with an estimated 65,000 people at risk.
In Lukunga, 49 homes were destroyed and homeless families are living with family, friends or neighbours in ‘deplorable conditions’.
Heartache
In the Negage region, IERA found more than 200 homes uninhabitable or in need of repair after a violent hail storm.
Villager Samuel dos Santos said, ‘It was like a horror movie when my house fell down but thankfully we were all unharmed.’
In Songo, hail stones wrecked many hectares of crops, while flooding in Mayengo and Kirama resulted in the loss of an estimated 63 tonnes of food for 600 families.
Roofing sheets, clothing, blankets, soap, kitchen utensils and seeds farming tools are among the basic essentials needed to help families. IERA is hoping to start a food-for-work scheme and to provide free food for the elderly and to provide roofing sheets.
An IERA spokesman said, ‘It’s not just the rain that causes great concern to the population. The lack of health services in the villages is a problem. We noticed a great number of children without clothing, the homes in very poor conditions. The situation is one of heartache and misery.’