Southern African Tropical Cyclones

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Southern African Tropical Cyclones

In March and April, two cyclones stuck Mozambique within five weeks of each other causing massive flooding throughout the country. USAID has a team on the ground Mozambique working with UN and NGO partners to provide critical assistance to people in need.

CARE / Josh Estey

In March and April, two cyclones stuck Mozambique within five weeks of each other causing massive flooding throughout the country. USAID has a team on the ground Mozambique working with UN and NGO partners to provide critical assistance to people in need.

Tropical Cyclone Idai made landfall over Mozambique between March 14 and 15, producing torrential rains and strong winds across the country, as well as in neighboring Malawi and Zimbabwe.

Cyclone Idai is now considered the worst natural disaster in southern Africa in nearly two decades. Approximately 900 square miles of land was covered in water – that’s an area larger than New York City and Los Angeles combined. The catastrophic flooding triggered by the storm has killed more than 600 people and nearly 1.9 million are in need of assistance.

On March 20, USAID deployed a DART to Mozambique to assess damage, identify priority needs, and work closely with partners to provide critical assistance to people in Mozambique. This elite team from USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance is comprised of: logisticians, and food security, shelter, health, and water, sanitation, and hygiene experts. The DART is currently working with the World Food Program (WFP), International Organization for Migration (IOM), World Health Organization (WHO), CARE, Catholic Relief Services, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, MENTOR initiative, FHI 360, Land O'Lakes, and World Vision to provide emergency shelter, food, health care,water, improved sanitation, and hygiene supplies.

Cyclone Kenneth struck Mozambique April 25. USAID has deployed a team to the affected area and is providing additional food, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene supplies.

On May 17, USAID officially stood down its DART for Cyclones Idai and Kenneth. A small team of USAID disaster experts, supported by an enhanced USAID regional team, will remain in Mozambique to lead USAID’s response efforts and continue to work with our partners to provide life-saving assistance.

To date, the United States has provided nearly $99 million in humanitarian assistance to help people in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi who have been affected by Cyclone Idai and Cyclone Kenneth, as well as flooding that occurred in early March.

 

Photo by USAID/OFDA

HOW WE'RE SUPPORTING

Watch how USAID is responding to Cyclone Idai
Photo by ADRIEN BARBIER / AFP

WHAT WE'RE SAYING

What we're saying about the Cyclone Idai response
Josh Estey/CARE

WHAT WE'RE SEEING

View the Cyclone Idai crisis response photo gallery

Latest Updates:

Southern Africa - Tropical Cyclone Idai - Fact Sheet #3 FY2019
April 1, 2019

The Government of Mozambique (GoM) reported at least 493 confirmed deaths due to Tropical Cyclone Idai as of March 29. The cyclone also damaged or destroyed more than 99,300 houses, according to the GoM. Casualty figures and damage estimates are expected to continue to rise as flood waters recede and relief agencies identify additional deaths and conduct assessments. Nearly 140,800 people were sheltering in more than 161 accommodation sites in Manica, Sofala, Tete, and Zambézia provinces as of March 29, the GoM reports.

Mozambique - Tropical Cyclone Idai - Fact Sheet #2 FY2019
March 27, 2019

The GoM National Institute for Disaster Management (INGC) and humanitarian actors are continuing to expand relief operations to reach additional populations in need. In recent days, receding waters have allowed for increased access to hard-to-reach areas, such as Sofala’s Nhamatanda District. Relief organizations have begun conducting assessments in Nhamatanda, as well as Manica Province’s Dombe town, and are distributing emergency food and relief commodities in these locations. Rapid response teams are also distributing seven-day rations of emergency food and safe drinking water to hard-to-reach areas to sustain populations until further assistance can be provided.

United States Announces Additional Humanitarian Assistance for People Affected by Cyclone Idai
March 25, 2019

Today the United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), announced nearly $3.4 million in additional emergency humanitarian food assistance to meet the urgent needs caused by Cyclone Idai and the related flooding in the Republic of Mozambique.  This donation brings the total U.S. investment in this humanitarian response in southern Africa to nearly $4.1 million.

Mozambique - Tropical Cyclone Idai - Fact Sheet #1 FY2019
March 25, 2019

Tropical Cyclone Idai made landfall over Mozambique’s city of Beira, Sofala Province, on March 15, producing torrential rains and strong winds and severely affecting Manica, Sofala, Tete, and Zambézia provinces. The Government of Mozambique (GoM) reported at least 281 confirmed deaths in the country as of March 22, with the numbers expected to rise significantly in the coming days.

Statement by Acting USAID Spokesperson Tom Babington on the Deployment of the Disaster Assistance Team to Mozambique in Response to Cyclone Idai
March 20, 2019

Today, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is activating a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to Mozambique to lead the U.S. Government's response to Cyclone Idai, which has caused catastrophic flooding, killed hundreds of people, and affected hundreds of thousands of others in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi.

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