The World Food Programme (WFP) has begun distributing assistance to communities affected by Cyclone Kenneth, which struck north-eastern Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province on Thursday, 25 April – the strongest tropical storm ever to hit the country – causing widespread destruction and displacement.
Emergency rations of maize, beans and salt were provided on Sunday (28 April) to families sheltering in public buildings in Macomia district, which was severely impacted by the cyclone. On Monday WFP High Energy Biscuits and a range of food commodities were airlifted from Pemba, the provincial capital, to the island of Ibo, which also suffered massive devastation. High energy biscuits are often used in emergencies as they are easy to transport and do not need cooking.
WFP had prepositioned more than 500 metric tons of food in Pemba ahead of the storm to be ready to support those affected. Dispatches from another 1,000 tons warehoused in neighbouring Nacala province have also begun.
Preliminary estimates by the INGC, the national disaster management agency, put the number of people affected by Cyclone Kenneth at 163,000.
The damage caused by the cyclone is being compounded by torrential rains that are forecast to continue over the coming days, wreaking further havoc, not least to crops.
On Monday WFP deployed to Pemba two MI-8 transport helicopters – which can carry 3 tons of cargo – to reach locations that have become inaccessible by road.
To date, WFP has provided food assistance to around 1.3 million people struggling to get back on their feet after the devastation wrought by Cyclone Idai less than six weeks ago. Although floodwaters have receded in most areas it affected, access is still a challenge as infrastructure was severely compromised. This second cyclone is an additional blow for the people of Mozambique and bound to complicate the humanitarian response- WFP
