Immediate Relief Delivered After Cyclone Idai
April 11, 2019 | 11:20 a.m.
In the time since Cyclone Idai made landfall and caused major destruction across Southeast Africa, Convoy of Hope team members and volunteers have tirelessly worked to serve affected people. Stories of those who were rescued, helped, and lost during the storm continue to surface.
The death toll has risen to more than 1,000 and a full account of the damage is still being calculated. Convoy of Hope is continuing to distribute food, water filtration systems, solar lanterns, and relief supplies.
- 400,000+ meals distributed
- 335 water filtration systems established
- 19,000+ individuals served
- 69 communities served
Convoy of Hope and its partners are committed to the people of of Southeast Africa, and will continue to serve them throughout the coming months.
April 1, 2019 | 8:15 a.m.
CHIMOIO, MOZAMBIQUE — The Convoy of Hope Disaster Response team in Mozambique has partnered with Mercy Air to distribute 10 tons of food and relief supplies to IDP camps in Dombe that are only accessible by boat or helicopter.
Food and water filtration systems were distributed to four nearby camps on the south side of the Buzi River, where nearly 10,000 people are still stranded by floodwaters. Hundreds of people lost their lives in this area after slipping into the river, unable to maintain their strength after hanging on to trees for days.
There are villages that are now covered in 10 feet of sand. Homes are completely destroyed. Convoy of Hope team members and partners are continuing to serve hard-hit areas where thousands of people are still at risk.
March 28, 2019 | 1:40 a.m.
CHIMOIO, MOZAMBIQUE — In recent days, Convoy of Hope has distributed more than 250,000 meals to those suffering from the effects of Cyclone Idai. However, hundreds of thousands are still without food or access to clean water. Alongside our partners on the ground, Convoy has served 66 communities across Malawi and Mozambique. As the immediate damage of the storm lingers, the long-term effects are just now being realized. Nearly-harvestable crops were lost, and groundwater is contaminated. This has lead to outbreaks of disease.
Across the region, there are reports of families still trapped on rooftops waiting to be rescued and camps of people who have lost everything and haven’t eaten in many days. Convoy of Hope is working tirelessly to distribute food, seeds, and water filtration systems to help stem the effects of this disaster.
March 25, 2019 | 4 p.m.
BLANTYRE, MALAWI — Alongside our local partners, Convoy of Hope team members have distributed food, water filtration systems, hygiene items, solar lamps, and seeds to replant crops throughout many of the affected regions in southern Malawi. Thus far, more than 218,000 meals have been delivered to more than 10,000 people suffering from the damage caused by Cyclone Idai.
Communities that have been living without access to food immediately following the flooding were extremely grateful for the relief. In one village, the team was greeted by a group of women from the area who were singing songs of praise as they arrived at the distribution.
Much more assistance is needed in the coming days and weeks, as nearly all of the year’s crops have been destroyed. The Convoy of Hope team will pursue more options to meet these needs. The team in Mozambique has been working with local partners to respond to the damage of Cyclone Idai. Water filtration units are being distributed to address the issue of cholera that’s expected to become a more prevalent health concern.
While some international aid is being provided in major cities, smaller communities are receiving little to no aid. Convoy of Hope is focusing on relief work in many of these underserved communities. Due to the extreme conditions created by the cyclone, Convoy is actively working toward a solution to bring food to those who are in increasingly dire circumstances.
March 24, 2019 | 11:15 a.m.
BLANTYRE, MALAWI — Convoy of Hope team members and partners across Southeast Africa are tirelessly working to bring relief to those devastated by Cyclone Idai. If all goes to plan, distribution of food rations — as well as fast-maturing seeds — will start on Sunday. Many families across the region were nearing the harvest of their crops, which the storm destroyed. Without immediate help, food scarcity will persist until the next growing season.
Thank you for your help and support of those affected by this devastating cyclone. It’s because of you that families will have food to eat today and seed to plant in hopes of a better tomorrow.
March 21, 2019 | 1:25 p.m.
BERIA, MOZAMBIQUE — With our second team now en route to Mozambique, Convoy of Hope continues increasing the level of response to Cyclone Idai. This storm has caused massive devastation and loss of life across Southeastern Africa. Current estimates are that more than 1,000 people may have been killed and hundreds of thousands more have been displaced by the storm.
Thousands of people are still waiting to be rescued or helped as the situation for many continues to deteriorate. In the coming days, many of those affected will perish if help does not arrive soon.
A Convoy of Hope team is currently on the ground in Malawi, preparing to distribute food and water filtration systems to those who are suffering. If all goes to plan, Convoy and our partners will start distributing food and relief items tomorrow. A second team is currently en route to Mozambique. Once they arrive, our team members will assist with the response already taking shape via partners on the ground. Food and water filtration systems will be the focus of this team, as supply routes for food and water systems have been severely compromised.
With a population of nearly 500,000 and an estimated 90 percent of its buildings destroyed, the city of Beira is in desperate need of aid. Currently, access to the city is very difficult. Our team is positioning themselves near Beira and will be looking for a way to reach these devastated areas in coming days. However, the potential exists for multiple inland dams to be opened. This would bring a renewed threat of flooding to already hard-hit areas, along with the threat of diseases like malaria, typhoid, and cholera.
March 16, 2019 | 2 p.m.
BLANTYRE, MALAWI — Convoy of Hope is preparing to deploy a team to both Malawi and Mozambique in response to Cyclone Idai. Our team will be providing food and water filtration systems to those affected, since many of the clean water sources have been compromised.
Cyclone Idai made landfall in Mozambique as a Category 3 storm with winds of 125 mph and storm surge up to 16 feet. Cyclones in this area are unusual, and many coastal communities have been devastated. Due to damaged infrastructure and severed communications, a complete picture of the damage inflicted by the cyclone is not yet known.
Cyclone Idai made landfall near Beira, Mozambique, which is the fourth largest city in the country. According to the latest news, Beira is flooded and the telecommunication infrastructure has been severely damaged. Widespread power, telephone, and internet outages have left at least 500,000 people in the dark.
Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi stated that the storm had totally or partially destroyed houses, hospitals, health centers, schools, and commercial buildings.
The cyclone is tracking westward toward Zimbabwe and will likely dissipate as it moves over land. However, the area has already experienced heavy rainfall, so flooding is inevitable.
