On March 15, Tropical Cyclone Idai — the worst natural disaster to hit southern Africa in two decades — made landfall over Mozambique, producing torrential rains and strong winds across the country, as well as in neighboring Malawi and Zimbabwe. The cyclone caused catastrophic flooding, which has killed hundreds of people so far, and damaged or destroyed homes, farmland, and public infrastructure — including major roadways, bridges, and hospitals.

The cyclone hit areas that were already reeling from flooding that occurred earlier this month, heightening existing humanitarian needs and leaving nearly 1.9 million people in need of assistance.

On March 20, USAID deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to Mozambique to coordinate U.S. response efforts, conduct damage assessments, identify priority needs, and work closely with local authorities and humanitarian organizations to provide critical assistance to people in need.

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