World Vision prepares as Cyclone Dineo makes a landfall in southern Mozambique

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

A powerful cyclone now officially named Tropical Storm Dineo is expected to make a landfall tomorrow, 16 February, in Mozambique’s coastal provinces of Gaza and Inhambane in the southern part of the country bringing with it strong winds and moderate to heavy rainfall. With some river basins already at alert level such as Pungoe and Limpopo, possible floods might occur in these areas affecting cropping areas and some villages.

World Vision in Gaza province is assisting about 17,000 children through the sponsorship program. The staff on the ground are closely monitoring the situation to help ensure safety of the children from the disaster.  The relief team is in place and preparing to respond. “We have a prepositioned the assistance in Gaza province that includes 2,000 emergency kits to assist people who may be affected by the cyclone,” said Graham Strong, World Vision’s National Director World in Mozambique.

The emergency kits are composed of tarpaulins, buckets, ropes, mosquito nets, water purifiers, blankets, slabs and other nonfood items. It the emergency kits are not enough, the area development programs covering the affected areas have also prepared to support ensuring that people will have the immediate support.

 “We will appeal with international donors for funding assistance if the impact in the country will be too big for us as an organization. We are also ready to work with our existing partners”, Strong added. In Inhambane province, operations are carried out through Welthungerhilfe (WHH), a partner and a member of Mozambican Humanitarian Consortium recently created.

World Vision is closely monitoring the situation and is taking necessary procedures to ensure safety of staff and assets. Teams are prepared of potential relief operations that will be conducted. “We are coordinating with the government’s disaster management offices and other partners on immediate actions to be undertaken”, Strong further said.

In Gaza province, World Vision has seven area programs with funding support from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong and Switzerland. It also has ongoing relief response work for El Nino-induced drought.

Mozambique, due to its location, has experienced several disasters in the past. On January 2012, two tropical storms hit the country in a week: a moderate tropical storm Dando hit southern Mozambique affecting 51,670 people and tropical Cyclone Funso, a category 4 storm, hit the Mozambican coastline, affecting approximately 65,000 people in Zambézia Province. World Vision had undertaken relief operations on these disasters.

For further information and queries, please contact Antonio Matimbe, Communications Manager, World Vision Mozambique at mobile +258 845363468, email: antonio_matimbe@wvi.org or Cecil Laguardia, Regional Communications Manager, Southern Africa at mobile # +26878020620 or email: cecil_laguardia@wvi.org.