On Thursday, March 14, Cyclone Idai struck northern and central Mozambique. The city of Beira, with a population of more than 500,000, was directly affected by torrential rains and high winds. Phone lines to the area remain cut off, making it difficult to assess the scale of the damage. Olivier Bertrand, Humanity & Inclusion’s head of logistics, explains the situation:
"In view of the violence of Cyclone Idai, Humanity & Inclusion sent a logistics expert to strengthen our team already on the ground in the town of Beira. When the expert arrives, he will be able to assess the situation, and in particular, the difficulties facing people with disabilities and other vulnerable populations–those who may be unable to access humanitarian support.
After a cyclone, we can expect villages to be totally isolated, leaving people cut off from the world, without access to food, first aid, and medicine. Our team will help to identify those who need immediate assistance and make sure that vulnerable populations are mapped. This will allow clearance operations to be carried out and ensure humanitarian aid can reach these isolated people.
We are also planning to set up a logistics platform, which will make it possible to organize and coordinate the transport and delivery of aid, relying on local carriers.”
Humanity & Inclusion in Mozambique
Humanity & Inclusion has been working in Mozambique since 1986. Currently, our teams are working to promote the rights and social participation of people with disabilities, support civil society to improve the social inclusion of people with disabilities, and prevent the development of disabilities. Learn more about our work in Mozambique.