Cyclone Idai, accompanied by torrential rains, devastated the city of Beira in Mozambique and several remote areas of Zimbabwe and Malawi. Several hundred thousand people are in need of humanitarian assistance. Swiss Solidarity is calling for donations.
According to initial estimates, hundreds of people have lost their lives in several heavily affected provinces of Mozambique and 90% of the city of Beira, the country’s fourth largest city, was destroyed by the rains that took everything in their path: roads, bridges, hospitals, schools and homes. The disaster is reported to have killed several hundred people in Zimbabwe and Malawi as well. Flooding has forced people to take refuge on rooftops and in trees in some places. Hundreds of thousands of people are in urgent need of safe drinking water, food, shelter and medical care. On the longer run, support for reconstruction will be necessary.
Several Swiss partner NGOs that have been working for years in Mozambique and neighbouring affected areas are active in the field to help the people. Swiss Solidarity is immediately making one million Swiss francs available from its emergency fund.
Swiss Solidarity counts on the solidarity of the Swiss population. Donations can be made to postal account 10-15 000-6 (mention “Mozambique”), via Twint and on the website www.swiss-solidarity.org
Swiss Solidarity, 1211 Geneva 8
