Cyclone Idai
March 2019
Photos: Josh Estey/CARE
Thank you to Canadians and to the Canadian government for your support for survivors of Cyclone Idai. Aid is being delivered and lives are being saved.
When Cyclone Idai made landfall in the port city of Beira, Mozambique on March 14, the area was already drenched from days of torrential rains. The winds, rain and high tides from the Cyclone caused dams to burst and rivers to overflow their banks.
Cities, villages and large swathes of land were totally submerged in Mozambique, as roads and bridges were washed away and communications were cut.
The storm continued inland to Malawi and Zimbabwe, where hundreds of people are reported dead or missing.
HC agencies were on the ground at the outset of the disaster, involved in search and rescue operations and airlifting supplies to areas that are inaccessible by road. They are providing tents, water and emergency supplies in all three of the affected countries. Special attention is being given to the protection of women and children, particularly in camps of displaced people. Workers on the ground report that families with children are struggling the most.
