More support for Cyclone Idai affected areas rolls in

Support for victims of Cyclone idai continues to roll in, with international agencies not leeting up on humanitarian aid for the thousands of displaced villagers.

IOM, the UN Migration Agency has received a delivery of 43 tons of Non-Food Items (NFIs), tarpaulins and mosquito nets from its global stocks supported by funds from the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan.

The donated items will assist targeted Cyclone Idai affected areas.

The consignment had 8000 tarpaulins,4800 mosquito nets and 2400 buckets. The tarpaulins will help 4000 families to carry out basic repairs to partially damaged houses.The mosquito netsand buckets will assist 2400 families who lost key household items in identified communities which were affected by CycloneIdai

 “This timely support from CERF and MoFA Japan is key in supporting IOM’s relief operations that are responding to the emergency needs of the people who are still struggling to come to terms with the disastrous impact of Cyclone Idai.” Said the Chief of Mission for IOM Zimbabwe Mario LitoMalanca.

“IOM Zimbabwe, working closely with the Government of Zimbabwe and its partners, will continue to respond to the affected communities by providing emergency shelter and NFIs. The cyclone rendered families homeless and so shelter remains an urgent need,” he continued.

Baseline assessments done by IOM Zimbabwe’s Displacement Tracking team in8 of the most affected districts in Manicaland and Masvingo show that 68,984 people were displaced by the cyclone.

The majority of these Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are living in host communities while a small number of the IDP population is currently residing in collective centres or camp like settings, most of which are located in Chimanimani district.

In the majority of the wards that were assessed, food and shelter were identified as the main needs.