As Claude Briade, a communications officer with Humanity & Inclusion, flew into Beira last week, he could see the scale of destruction that awaited him on the ground. Vast stretches of land covered in water, hundreds of thousands of destroyed rooftops, damaged buildings, and debris scattered every which way. Astonished by the brutal damage caused by Cyclone Idai, Claude gives a first-hand report using his own images.

People with disabilities face exceptional challenges in recovery

The vulnerable survivors face great challenges.

People with disabilities struggle to access aid and information.

Older people get tired of waiting in long lines for humanitarian aid. 

Pregnant women and families with young children have lost their homes.

Humanity & Inclusion is working to ensure that these individuals are included and that they receive the specialized support they need to recover from the disaster. 

Improving humanitarian access

During my first few days in the country, I accompanied Humanity & Inclusion's logistics experts as they evaluated ways to improve delivery of aid: clearing debris, finding new routes to isolated areas, coordinating transporters, etc. The context was exceptionally complicated with expanses of flood water cutting off all roads to some areas. Thanks to combined humanitarian efforts, it is improving rapidly.

Community resilience

As I traveled to various sites across the affected region, I have been struck by the survivors I have met and their resilience. The local population immediately set to work, rescuing, rebuilding, and supporting each other. Here, Humanity & Inclusion's logistics coordinator Fabrice Francois Renoux gathers information in Estaquinha, Mozambique from a local resident. 

Responding the needs of the most vulnerable

Humanity & Inclusion continues to seek funding in order to provide specific support for the most vulnerable Mozambicans in the days and weeks to come. Our current response consists of clearing debris in Beira city, improving access to the Sofala province (population 110,000), and providing food distributions to more than 11,000 households over the next three months. 

Humanity & Inclusion in Mozambique

Humanity & Inclusion has been working in Mozambique since 1986, and is best known there for our work helping victims of landmines and other explosive ordnance left from the country’s civil war. We ran a large demining operation that wrapped up when the country declared itself mine free in 2015. Most recently, staff worked to promote the rights and social participation of people with disabilities, support civil society to improve the social inclusion of people with disabilities, and prevent the development of disabilities. 

Learn more about our work in Mozambique.

Nearly 2 million people in need

Cyclone Idai struck Mozambique on March 14, killing at least 416 people, injuring more than 1,500, and leaving an estimated 1.85 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and protection.

Providing food relief

Humanity & Inclusion will distribute World Food Program (WFP) stocks of essential food such as rice, vegetable oil, and beans to 12,000 families. This will provide some relief in the coming weeks as people try to rebuild their lives under very difficult circumstances. The WFP estimates that providing essential food to survivors will cost $150 million over the next three months.

Flood waters increase risk of disease

“The risk of communicable diseases has dramatically increased due to stagnant flood water as well as over-crowding in the collective accommodation center, where more than 110,000 displaced people are now staying,” explains Fanny Mraz, Humanity & Inclusion’s emergency director. “There are serious concerns regarding the risk of malaria and cholera outbreaks.”

To help minimize this risk, Humanity & Inclusion will distribute hygiene kits, which include basic items such as hand and laundry soaps, to 8,000 families.

Crops ruined due to flooding

The cyclone caused flooding on a colossal scale. 1.2 million acres of crops have been destroyed. The impact will be felt immediately as the majority of crops were near ready for harvest.

Water levels are thankfully now lower, but an estimated 1160 sq. miles of land remains submerged.

Humanity & Inclusion in Mozambique

Humanity & Inclusion has been working in Mozambique since 1986, and is best known there for our work helping victims of landmines and other explosive ordnance left from the country’s civil war. We ran a large demining operation that wrapped up when the country declared itself mine free in 2015. Most recently, staff worked to promote the rights and social participation of people with disabilities, support civil society to improve the social inclusion of people with disabilities, and prevent the development of disabilities. 

Learn more about our work in Mozambique.

Photo: Mozambicans walk among flooded fields.

“This is a major humanitarian disaster”

“There are at least 145,000 displaced people in the city of Beira alone, which has a population of more than 500,000,” explains Marco Tamburro, Humanity & Inclusion’s program director in Mozambique. “We’re unsure of the final death toll because we don’t yet know what the situation is like in isolated areas. But it’s likely to rise.”

Preventing waterborne illnesses

Floods, dirty water, and poor hygiene poses a new threat to people already hit hard by the disaster. “Cases of cholera have already been reported in the city of Beira," Marco adds. “Floods make this type of disease more likely. So, we plan to distribute hygiene kits, which should provide more than 6,000 families with a healthier living environment.” 

Tomorrow, Humanity & Inclusion’s teams in France will also send out mobility aids including crutches, wheelchairs, and walkers, along with generators and a logistics kit, to equip a temporary office in the disaster area.

Coordinating logistics

The city of Beira still bears the scars of the cyclone. Although several roads have been reopened, they remain lined with debris from trees and roofs. “During the first few days, it was very difficult to get to people due to the floods. The situation has improved somewhat over the past three days, and we’re coordinating our actions with other organizations to make sure distributions get through."

Jérôme Rigard, Humanity & Inclusions logistics manager, explains what our team is doing to ensure these individuals receive access as soon as possible.

Providing food aid and peace of mind to 10,000+

Our team will also provide food aid to more than 10,000 families. "The shock suffered by disaster victims has to be taken into consideration. The whole city of Beira was affected. The people who lived through the cyclone and lost everything are deeply traumatized. We first need to provide psychological assistance to make sure they feel they have someone who can listen to them.”

Humanity & Inclusion in Mozambique

Humanity & Inclusion has been working in Mozambique since 1986. Currently, our teams are working to promote the rights and social participation of people with disabilities, support civil society to improve the social inclusion of people with disabilities, and prevent the development of disabilities. 

Learn more about our work in Mozambique.

Photo: A fallen tree and other damage in Beira, Mozambique, following Cyclone Idai.

Thousands still under water

Ten days after the cyclone hit, at least 770 square miles of land remains under water. More than 150 miles of roads are reportedly still partially flooded, including one linking the port of Beira to Zimbabwe. Beira is the country's second largest port. Most goods supplied to neighboring countries usually pass through it. These countries have also been hit by the cyclone. “Access ways to the port need to be repaired as soon as possible," says Fabrice Renoux, a project manager with Humanity & Inclusion’s Atlas Logistique division, sent to beef up HI’s team in Beira." The airport is open again but it’s not enough to supply humanitarian aid."

Clearing access points to deliver humanitarian assistance

Humanity & Inclusion’s team plans to introduce clearance measures in Beira in order to open up access ways. We'll do this by coordinating the work of clearance teams and trucks which will make it possible to deliver humanitarian assistance to people made vulnerable by the disaster. "But it is also essential to clear secondary roads in order to help people in rural areas, and we’re looking into other modes of transport, such as barges, to deliver humanitarian assistance for aid organizations to still-flooded areas.”

On Saturday, the Mozambican authorities announced that the death toll had topped 400, with 1,500 people injured. This number is likely to rise as receding flood waters open up currently isolated areas. Crop destruction also poses a threat to the local population, which is no longer able to meet its basic needs. The risk of epidemics increases by the day due to poor hygiene and stagnant water.

Communication remains a challenge

Communication with the city of Beira, where Humanity & Inclusion’s team is located, remain intermittent. “As I arrived by plane, I could see that Ruzi district, just south of Beira, had been hit by floods even more so than wind," Fabrice adds. "On the roadsides, you can see that many telephone poles have been twisted or brought down. Communication problems are making it difficult to coordinate assistance.

"From what I could see in Beira, most damage was uprooted trees, fallen branches, and torn-off roofs. Building damage is due mainly to falling trees. A church was almost completely blown away by the cyclone. The roof had disappeared and part of the facade.”

Throughout the city, people are working tirelessly to repair damage from the cyclone. “The local population is extremely resilient. Many trees on the ground have been cut up. Large numbers of volunteers are searching the debris. But we still don’t know how people in rural areas have responded to the disaster.”

Emergency kits

Humanity & Inclusion is stepping up its deployment to help the most vulnerable people. We plan to provide food aid to more than 12,000 families and hygiene kits to more than 500 families. HI’s teams will also ensure the most vulnerable people are included in emergency response.

Humanity & Inclusion in Mozambique

Humanity & Inclusion has been working in Mozambique since 1986. Currently, our teams are working to promote the rights and social participation of people with disabilities, support civil society to improve the social inclusion of people with disabilities, and prevent the development of disabilities. 

Learn more about our work in Mozambique.

Photo: Sheet metal and other debris block roadways and damage cars in Mozambique following Cyclone Idai.

“Access is the major challenge”

More than a week after Cyclone Idai hit central Mozambique, the situation remains critical. 

“More than 17,000 houses, nearly 3,000 classrooms and 40 health centers have been destroyed," explains Marco Tamburro, program director for HI in Mozambique. Beira is a city of more than 500,000 inhabitants and it has been completely devastated. You have to imagine a city like Manchester in the United Kingdom, with huge amounts of debris, waterlogged streets and a communication network that no longer works. Accessing people in need is the major challenge of this rescue operation.”

According to the Mozambican authorities, Cyclone Idai killed nearly 250 people, but this toll could be much more serious, as many areas have not yet received any relief.

Emergency kits

To coordinate clearance operations, and enable humanitarian aid to be delivered, Humanity & Inclusion's team is assessing the areas of Beira that pose the greatest logistics challenges.

Among the concerns: "Our office in Beira was partially destroyed," Tamburro notes. 

Early next week, Humanity & Inclusion's emergency equipment kits will be in position. The first kits are stocked with mobility aids, such as wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, so that injured people, or people who have lost their walking aids, can move around. Several generators, as well as a logistics kit containing the necessary equipment to install a temporary base for the growing Humanity & Inclusion team will arrive. "We need this equipment to be able to coordinate our work,” he adds. 

Experts arriving

At the same time, emergency experts are being deployed to assist the populations most affected by the disaster.

"We are strengthening our teams to be able to help the most vulnerable survivors. We hope to be able to provide food aid to more than 12,000 families and hygiene kits to more than 500 families. We will also work with all humanitarian actors to ensure that the most vulnerable people are included in the emergency response. When confronted with tens of thousands of people who need help, it is essential to avoid a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach, so that older people, people with disabilities, and vulnerable groups receive the specific care they need.”

Humanity & Inclusion in Mozambique

Humanity & Inclusion has been working in Mozambique since 1986. Currently, our teams are working to promote the rights and social participation of people with disabilities, support civil society to improve the social inclusion of people with disabilities, and prevent the development of disabilities. 

Learn more about our work in Mozambique.

Photo: A family in Beira, Mozambique, surveys the damage around their home, following Cyclone Idai.

Reports coming in from Beira, the Mozambican city devastated by Cyclone Idai, are harrowing. Thousands of people remain stranded in floodwaters and nearly 250 people have died. According to reports, the death toll is expected to rise sharply as rescue workers gain access to areas cut off by flooding.

Humanity & Inclusion's Mozambique country director, Marco Tamburro, told CNN, "the roads are totally cut, so Beira is isolated and the cell phone network is down." With flood waters rising, the storm's destruction isn't finished. "It is a big risk having this big quantity of water in the city, there's a risk of an outbreak of cholera, malaria and other diseases."

In Beira, where Humanity & Inclusion has worked for several years, our team had previously identified highly vulnerable individuals as part of an inclusion project. Today, we are particularly concerned about these individuals and will work hard to ensure that they are included in the emergency response.

City destroyed and 140,000 displaced

The damage is greater than expected, with many areas destroyed beyond recognition. Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi says 1,000 may have died. Humanity & Inclusion’s staff and their families based in Beira are safe.

Rural areas unreachable

We do not yet have accurate information from surrounding rural areas and are extremely concerned for the welfare of people who have not yet been reached.

Getting help to where it is needed most

Humanity & Inclusion’s logistics expert, Fabrice Renoux, is joining the team in Mozambique to assess how Humanity & Inclusion can best contribute to the emergency response. He explained the situation before leaving for Beira:

“At this stage, we don’t know exactly what the needs are. Once on the ground, we will be able to gather information in order to find out where the most vulnerable people are and what they most urgently need.

"My role is to identify gaps in the infrastructure, for example blocked or destroyed roads, and to problem-solve in order to facilitate the work of all humanitarian organizations as they try to respond as rapidly as possible.”  

Including the most vulnerable in emergency response

Humanity & Inclusion plans to provide logistics support and to ensure that the emergency response is inclusive– meaning that people with disabilities, older people, and other vulnerable have access to essential and appropriate support. 

Following an evaluation of the needs, Humanity & Inclusion's actions may include:

• Direct food assistance including nutritional treatment for malnourished children
• Provision of water treatment and hygiene promotion
• Shelter and non-food items (kitchen kits, hygiene kits, agricultural tools)
• Protecting the most vulnerable

Humanity & Inclusion in Mozambique

Humanity & Inclusion has been working in Mozambique since 1986. Currently, our teams are working to promote the rights and social participation of people with disabilities, support civil society to improve the social inclusion of people with disabilities, and prevent the development of disabilities. 

Learn more about our work in Mozambique.

Photo: A family in Beira, Mozambique, surveys the damage around their home, following Cyclone Idai.

On Thursday, March 14, Cyclone Idai struck northern and central Mozambique. The city of Beira, with a population of more than 500,000, was directly affected by torrential rains and high winds. Phone lines to the area remain cut off, making it difficult to assess the scale of the damage. Head of the Red Cross assessment team, Jamie LeSeur, told the BBC, "people have been rescued from trees, homes have been destroyed and roofs were ripped off concrete buildings." 

Humanity & Inclusion is particularly concerned for rural populations in the affected area who may be completely cut off from humanitarian assistance. We are awaiting further information from our team who has an office in Beira, which includes four Mozambican staff.

Following an evaluation of the needs, Humanity & Inclusion's actions may include:

• Direct food assistance including nutritional treatment for malnourished children
• Provision of water treatment and hygiene promotion
• Shelter and non-food items (kitchen kits, hygiene kits, agricultural tools)
• Protecting the most vulnerable

Olivier Bertrand, Humanity & Inclusion’s head of logistics, explains the situation:

"In view of the violence of Cyclone Idai, Humanity & Inclusion sent a logistics expert to strengthen our team already on the ground in the town of Beira. When the expert arrives, they will be able to assess the situation, and in particular, the difficulties facing people with disabilities and other vulnerable populations–those who may be unable to access humanitarian support.

After a cyclone, we can expect villages to be totally isolated, leaving people cut off from the world, without access to food, first aid, and medicine. Our team will help to identify those who need immediate assistance and make sure that vulnerable populations are mapped. This will allow clearance operations to be carried out and ensure humanitarian aid can reach these isolated people.

We are also planning to set up a logistics platform, which will make it possible to organize and coordinate the transport and delivery of aid, relying on local carriers.”

Humanity & Inclusion in Mozambique

Humanity & Inclusion has been working in Mozambique since 1986. Currently, our teams are working to promote the rights and social participation of people with disabilities, support civil society to improve the social inclusion of people with disabilities, and prevent the development of disabilities. Learn more about our work in Mozambique.

Photo: Sheet metal and other debris block roadways and damage cars in Mozambique following Cyclone Idai.

Cyclone Idai hit the coast of Mozambique overnight on Thursday. The city of Beira, with a population of more than 500,000, was directly affected by winds of 110 to 120 mph accompanied by torrential rains.

The death toll and the extent of the destruction is not yet known, as communication lines and electricity have been cut off and large areas remain inaccessible.

The United Nations expects considerable damage to homes and schools, the destruction of hundreds of thousands of acres of crops, which will lead to food shortages among the most vulnerable populations, and problems accessing isolated areas due to flooding and damaged roads. The risk of disease outbreak is also considered to be high, with the presence of unsafe water. 

Humanity & Inclusion is already working with the most vulnerable populations in the affected city, Beira, and we are concerned for our beneficiaries and their families. We are currently putting our emergency plans into action, and will reinforce the team with emergency expertise in the coming days.

This cyclone adds to an existing critical situation in Mozambique. The center and north of the country have been subjected to heavy rains for several weeks: more than 140,000 people have already been affected, with 17,000 displaced, and at least 60 killed.

Humanity & Inclusion in Mozambique

Humanity & Inclusion has been working in Mozambique since 1986. Currently, our teams are working to promote the rights and social participation of people with disabilities, support civil society to improve the social inclusion of people with disabilities, and prevent the development of disabilities. Learn more about our work in Mozambique.

Wonderful things are happening for children with disabilities in Mozambique! Humanity & lnclusion and UNICEF have partnered with the local government to make sure that children can get the special help they need to at from their time at home with their loving families, to when they go to school with their friends, and to live a happy life.  

From November 27-28, Handicap International is organizing a regional conference on the bombing of civilians in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique. This conference will bring together 20 States, 10 African civil society organizations, and international NGOs with the goal to raise awareness of this vital challenge among African countries and to encourage them to take action on the world stage to protect civilians from the devastating impact of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.