Mozambique: Picking up the pieces after Cyclone Idai
International donors have pledged $1.2 billion to help rebuild parts of Mozambique that were devastated by two cyclones in March and April 2019. Many people have lost everything. Here are the stories of the survivors.
Saving the family
Beatriz was able to save herself and her children from the floods. On March 15, 2019, the rising waters took the residents of Grudja village by suprise. For three days they took refuge on rooftops or clung to trees while they waited for the water levels to drop.
Health services destroyed
The health center in Grudja was also devastated by the floods. Drugs and medical equipment were destroyed. An emergency medical team has for now taken over the provision of the health services.
Safety on the school roof
The roof of the primary school "Nhabziconja 4 de Outubro" served as a rescue point for many survivors. Just weeks after the floods, the school was able to reopen its doors and start classes once again. Many other schools in the region are still closed and reconstruction efforts remain slow.
Water levels back to normal
The Revue River in Grudja breached its banks following heavy rainfall brought by the cyclone, flooding large parts of the surrounding land. The water levels have now fallen again and no longer pose a threat to the residents.
Still missing
Regina lived in Grudja with her husband and her five children. The floods destroyed their house and their fields. Regina and her husband were able to survive by climbing a tree, but their children were swept away by the floodwaters. Four of them died, one is still missing.
Destroyed harvest
Elisabete Moises, Victoria Jaime and 38-year-old Amelia Daute stand in their ruined maize field. Like many others, they survived by climbing onto the roof of the school. 14 of their neighbors, including 9 children, died in the floods.
From primary school to health center
In Buzi district, west of Beira, women and children line up to receive medical care from the St John's Ambulance emergency team. This school has been turned into a make-shift health center. Cyclone Idai first made landfall along Mozambique's coastline, hitting the port city of Beira which is home to 500,000 people.
Queuing for seeds
In many parts of the country, harvests were destroyed as a result of flooding and heavy rains. The World Health Organization estimates that at least 750,000 people will require food aid this year. In Cafumpe in Gondola district, 50 families received seeds from St John's Ambulance and other local aid organizations to plant maize, beans and cabbage.
Reconstruction efforts underway
In the neighborhood of Ponta Gea in Beira, life seems to be getting back to normal. The storm destroyed large parts of Mozambique's infrastructure. Here, damaged electricity and telephone lines are being repaired. But in the surrounding countryside, entire villages need to be rebuilt. Many residents still don't have access to clean water and food.
Picking up the pieces
53-year-old Helena Santiago works in the backyard of what used to be her house in the neighborhood of CFM-Maquinino in Beira. She lived here with her husband and eight children. When the cyclone hit Beira, Santiago and her family were able to seek refuge in a nearby train station. But their house was completely destroyed by the storm and she doesn't have enough support to help rebuild it.