Between 3:00pm of April 25th and 2.00am of April 26th, just one month after Hurricane Idai, Mozambique was hit by the tropical cyclone Kenneth, the strongest ever recorded in this area, classified as a force 4 on a scale that reaches a maximum of 5. Strong winds with peaks up to 180 km / h and incessant rainfall of about 300-500 mm - over 8 times the average for the season - have destroyed entire villages in the Quirimbas Archipelago, where Oikos operates. The cyclone stroke tearing down trees, taking the roofs off of homes, and leaving thousands of families without electricity and drinking water.
Based on government data, the most affected areas are the ones north of the country affecting 16,776 people. The cyclone devastated the islands of Quirimba, Matemo and Ibo. On the latter 95% of the population is now homeless. Both the hospital and the elementary school have suffered enormous damages and can no longer guarantee any kind of assistance: the roofs are completely uncovered and all the windows are destroyed. In Matemo the situation is even more alarming, the schools have been completely razed to the ground. The rains continue incessantly, putting at risk the affected population to the spread of diseases related to lack of hygiene and drinking water. While on the coast the alert remains high with great risk of flooding as rainfall is bound to continue until the 2nd of May.
Istituto Oikos, which has been working in these areas since 2012 to protect the fragile natural resources and improve the living conditions of local populations, has already taken action to bring the first humanitarian aid. "The sizes of this disaster are getting worse by the minute - says Tania Miorin, Coordinator of the Ibo Program - and we are deeply concerned about the families still at risk, while the rains continue incessantly". Our on-site operators, in these hours alongside men, women and children who have lost everything, report what the most urgent needs are: providing makeshift roofs to cover the houses and guaranteeing hygiene and drinking water.
This is why Istituto Oikos is launching a fundraising campaign: an urgent appeal to provide the local communities with water, food and emergency shelters.
To support the EMERGENCY IN MOZAMBIQUE we have made available the bank account held by Istituto Oikos Onlus c/o Banca Popolare di Sondrio: IBAN IT80R0569601602000006906X78. We kindly ask you to specify "EMERGENCY MOZAMBIQUE" in the payment description and an e-mail address to confirm the success of your donation. Moreover, on our website it is also possible to contribute through a liberal donation by credit card or pay pal directly at this link.
The affected areas need you: your support is fundamental.
