Justice minister, DGA chief discuss partnership to boost digital judicial services    Netanyahu does not rule out further strikes on Hamas leaders    US farmers are being squeezed – and it's testing their deep loyalty to Trump    Romania condemns 'irresponsible' Moscow after Russian drone breaches its airspace    Kirk's assassination is forcing US politicians to make difficult choices about their safety    India players refused handshakes, says Pakistan coach    Final stage of Spanish Vuelta cycling race abandoned after disruption by pro-Palestine protesters    Mané fires Al Nassr past Al Kholood to keep perfect start as Ronaldo honored    Lacazette brace earns NEOM SC first Saudi Pro League win    Adolescence star Owen Cooper makes Emmys history at 15    Saudi liquidity grows 8.4%, reaching SR3.1 trillion in July 2025    Over 434,000 people acquire first aid skills during nationwide health campaign    Saudi Arabia's legislative advancement highlighted at International Conference on Judicial Training    Sudden swerving among 3 major causes of accidents in Riyadh in 2024    Princess Haifa emphasizes pivotal Saudi role in shaping future of tourism    Sahm Capital names Saudi Olympian Fayik Abdi as brand ambassador    SR9000 fine for copyright infringement using AI    King Charles and Prince Harry finally reunite after 19 months apart    Anastacia: Arnold Schwarzenegger made me sing Whatta Man 12 times    Thousands pay their last respects to Giorgio Armani, private funeral on Monday    The key to happiness    Sholay: Bollywood epic roars back to big screen after 50 years with new ending    Ministry launches online booking for slaughterhouses on eve of Eid Al-Adha    Shah Rukh Khan makes Met Gala debut in Sabyasachi    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



UN responds as thousands in Mozambique are caught in wake of devastating Eloise
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 27 - 01 - 2021

UN agencies are ramping up efforts on Tuesday to help communities in Mozambique hit hard by Tropical Cyclone Eloise, which barreled through the country just three weeks after the devastating Tropical Storm Chalane.
Cyclone Eloise made landfall near Beira, a major city in Sofala province, central Mozambique, around 2 a.m. Saturday (local time) with high winds, heavy rains and severe flooding. The city was in the eye of ferocious Cyclone Idai, which killed more than 600 people and left hundreds more injured, in 2019.
Preliminary figures indicate that at least six people died and 12 injured due to Cyclone Eloise, but the number may rise as more information becomes available. The storm also damaged more than 8,800 houses and at least 26 health centers, and disrupted power and communication links.
According to the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 176,000 people — including up to 90,000 children — have been affected, with several thousand displaced. On ground and aerial assessments are ongoing.
Jens Laerke, an OCHA spokesperson told journalists at a media briefing in Geneva that the most urgent humanitarian needs identified so far include food, tents, drinking water, hygiene kits, COVID-19 prevention materials, mosquito nets, and blankets. He also called for more resources to fund response.
"As humanitarian partners were already responding to multiple needs in Mozambique including the conflict in Cabo Delgado in the north and the recent impact of Tropical Storm Chalane, more resources are urgently needed to ensure we can scale up quickly to respond to Tropical Cyclone Eloise," he said.
Health and shelter
About 32 accommodation centers for the displaced have been set up in the heavily affected Sofala province, including in Beira city, providing temporary accommodation for around 15,000 families.
Churches, mosques and some government offices are also housing the displaced, "many of whom fled with little more than the clothes on their backs", Paul Dillon, a spokesperson for the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) said at the same briefing.
He added that initial assessments indicated that over half of the 71 resettlement centers sheltering people displaced by the 2019 Cyclone Idai, are in areas affected by Cyclone Eloise.
"IOM staff are distributing soap and a limited supply of cloth face masks to the most vulnerable. They are also providing information on the need to maintain physical distancing, but it is very difficult under the current circumstances," Dillon said.
There are also serious concerns for chronic disease patients who lost their medications, he added, noting that the UN agency is monitoring the situation to refer these cases to health facilities, many of which have themselves been damaged.
In addition, the potential outbreak of waterborne diseases like diarrhea and cholera is a major worry, especially among affected and displaced children.
Food security
The months of January to March are the peak of lean season in Mozambique, when people struggle the most to find food, according to the UN World Food Program (WFP) spokesperson Tomson Phiri.
Almost 3 million people — in both rural and urban areas — in southern, central and northern Mozambique were already facing high levels of food insecurity before the cyclone, he added.
The storm also flooded large swathes of crop land, and destroyed farm tools and seeds, prompting fears for the annual harvest expected in April, as well as replanting beyond.
"People need food assistance now to cope and will need support to re-establish their livelihoods going forward," Phiri said.
He went on to note that WFP has about 640 metric tons of food available at its warehouse in Beira, as part of its ongoing lean-season response, but it can be used to provide urgent, life-saving assistance in areas affected by the cyclone.
"However, more resources will be urgently needed so we can mount an adequate response in a timely manner," Phiri added.
Regional impact
After passing over Mozambique, Tropical Cyclone Eloise went on to hit other countries in southern Africa.
Zimbabwe has been impacted by heavy rains, with reports of localized flooding and mudslides. There are also unconfirmed reports suggesting that some people have lost their lives. Heavy rainfall and flooding has also been reported in South Africa, and Botswana expects widespread rainfall in coming days.
Eswatini also witnessed heavy rains since Jan. 23 and most rivers in the country are flooded. Several roads and bridges are reported to have been damaged. — UN News


Clic here to read the story from its source.