Aid Efforts Intensify for Victims of Cyclone Dikeledi in Africa: UN
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Synopsis
The United Nations and humanitarian partners are mobilizing to address the devastating impacts of Tropical Cyclone Dikeledi in Southeast Africa, following the recent destruction caused by Cyclone Chido. Immediate assistance, including food and water supplies, is being provided to those affected, while efforts continue to assess and address urgent protection needs.
Key Takeaways
- UN and partners respond to Cyclone Dikeledi.
- Three fatalities reported in Madagascar.
- Over 350 people displaced to temporary shelters.
- Immediate humanitarian assistance includes food and hygiene kits.
- Urgent funding needed for ongoing support.
United Nations, Jan 14 (NationPress) The United Nations along with its humanitarian partners are taking action in response to the catastrophic impact of Tropical Cyclone Dikeledi, which is currently striking southeast Africa with fierce winds and torrential rainfall, as reported by UN humanitarians.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) indicated that UN partners began collaborating with local authorities immediately after the cyclone made landfall on Saturday in northern Madagascar, which had already suffered from the devastating effects of Cyclone Chido nearly a month earlier, according to Xinhua news agency.
OCHA's recent ReliefWeb status alert noted that the center of Dikeledi was located over the Mozambique Channel, approximately 75 km off the coast of Nampula province in northeastern Mozambique. The cyclone passed just south of Mayotte, an island previously ravaged by Cyclone Chido.
The government of Madagascar has reported that three individuals lost their lives, and over 350 people have been displaced to various temporary shelters. An estimated 5,200 individuals have been directly impacted, with nearly 1,300 homes submerged and five health facilities damaged.
Humanitarian partners have begun distributing water treatment supplies and hygiene kits.
OCHA stated that the UN and its partners in Mozambique are continuing to assist those impacted by Chido, which resulted in the deaths of over 170 people across Madagascar, Mayotte, and Malawi.
The World Food Programme disclosed that it has reached over 190,000 victims of Cyclone Chido across five districts with food rations intended to last one week as of Saturday. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and its partners have distributed more than 800 core relief item kits to over 4,000 individuals.
UNHCR further reported that it has intensified efforts to evaluate protection issues in parts of Cabo Delgado province, where displaced individuals are seeking shelter. Following Cyclone Chido, many have faced a lack of adequate shelter and limited access to clean water and sanitation.
The loss of livelihoods, particularly in agriculture, has exacerbated their struggles in attempting to rebuild their lives.
The United Nations and its partners are striving to deliver humanitarian aid to over 400,000 people affected by Cyclone Chido. However, OCHA has stated that urgent additional funding is necessary to meet these goals.
