MAPUTO (February 15, 2017) — The global humanitarian organization CARE is mobilizing emergency relief supplies to respond to Tropical Cyclone Dineo, which is expected to be upgraded to a Category Two system in southern Mozambique.
The storm is expected to bring winds of over 90 miles an hour and make landfall on the coastline of Inhambane province, potentially affecting more than 300,000 people. Marc Nosbach, CARE’s Country Director in Mozambique, said many of those communities are about to harvest their first crops after a two-year drought.
“The potential for destruction here is immense,” said Mr. Nosbach. “These communities have struggled with a horrendous drought only to potentially have their first crops for two years wiped out by a cyclone.”
Wind gusts, heavy rainfall, and flash flooding are expected as the cyclone moves across the central Mozambique coast overnight.
“CARE is ready to move with enough emergency kits for around 25,000 people, and we plan to bring more in from other sites around the country,” said Mr. Nosbach. “But given the number of people likely to be affected, we’re going to need a lot more.”
“The kits contain household items that communities, particularly women and children, will need in those first days after the storm hits – things like jerry cans, plastic sheeting, mosquito nets, and personal hygiene items,” he said.
Mozambique is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to natural disasters and climate change. Tropical storms and cyclones are regular occurrences, destroying crops, homes and infrastructure. In 2012, the combined Dando tropical storm and Funso cyclone affected approximately tens of thousands of Mozambicans.
About CARE in Mozambique
CARE began working in Mozambique in 1984 delivering emergency and large-scale humanitarian assistance to communities affected by the protracted war between the government and rebel forces. Since the end of the war in 1992, CARE has been addressing the needs of people in the areas of health, water and sanitation, agriculture as well as economic empowerment and food assistance. One of CARE‘s major focus areas is the empowerment of women and girls and strengthening local civil society action. As part of our historic focus on emergency response, we are now engaging more on disaster risk reduction and climate change.
About CARE
Founded in 1945, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE has more than six decades of experience helping people prepare for disasters, providing lifesaving assistance when a crisis hits, and helping communities recover after the emergency has passed. CARE places special focus on women and children, who are often disproportionately affected by disasters. To learn more, visit www.care.org.
Media Contact
Nicole Harris, nharris@care.org, 404-735-0871