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MOZA2019-0293

Cholera vaccines arrive at the Beira Airport on 2 April 2019.

Cyclone Idai has affected many people living in the Beira and surrounding areas of Mozambique. Thousands of people have been displaced.

More than 1.9 million people – around 1 million of whom are estimated to be children – have been affected by severe flooding in Malawi and Mozambique, with the numbers set to rise as Cyclone Idai moves west and the impact of the cyclone becomes clearer, UNICEF warned today. The tropical cyclone, which is carrying heavy rains and winds of up to 170km/h (106mp/h) made landfall at the port of Beira, Mozambique’s fourth largest city, on Thursday 14 March, leaving the 500,000 residents without power and communications lines down. Across Mozambique, initial government figures estimate 600,000 people are affected of which 260,000 are children. The cyclone moved across Mozambique to Zimbabwe over the weekend. Nearly 1.6 million people are estimated to live in areas that could be impacted by high winds and rainfall. While the full extent of the cyclone’s impact is not yet clear, it is likely to include damage to schools and health facilities; damage to water and sanitation infrastructure; impeding access to safe water for affected communities; thereby bringing a heightened risk of water-borne diseases, destruction of people’s homes, and increased protection risks, particularly for women and children. Since early March, flooding caused by the Tropical Cyclone Idai weather system has affected more than one million people and caused at least 145 deaths. UNICEF is working with partners to support the Governments of the affected countries to provide life-saving interventions to meet the needs of children and women impacted by the cyclone and floods. The response will include Health, with a focus on cholera response and prevention; Education, to minimize service disruption and enhancing safe access to schools; Protection, catering particularly to the needs of internally di