Cyclone adds challenges to an area facing ongoing conflict
Cyclone Chido has added a new burden to Cabo Delgado, where according to the United Nations 576,000 people remain displaced in different parts of the province due to the conflict that started in 2017. A further 630,000 have returned to areas previously affected by the violence.
“This natural disaster comes on the top of the man-made crisis, and makes people in northern Mozambique, who were already in a fragile situation due to violence, yet more vulnerable,” says Luisa Suárez, MSF medical coordinator in Mozambique. “It is crucial to mobilize support from other humanitarian organizations to respond to this crisis quickly.”
“Since the onset of the cyclone, we have mobilized teams already present in other areas of Cabo Delgado—amid the ongoing conflict—to assess the impact of the storm in the affected districts of Pemba, Metuge, and Mecufi,” says Jacinta Francisco, head of the assessment team. “All the health centers visited in Metuge and Mecufi were damaged by the cyclone, with services currently being provided in makeshift tents, and health staff overwhelmed by the workload and loss they have endured.”
The cyclone has compounded existing challenges in Cabo Delgado, where the health system was already severely weakened by the conflict. Beyond the need for structural repairs, basic services such as clean water and electricity have also been disrupted in many health centers, further limiting the provision of health care. This situation is exacerbated by the general lack of attention to the province, reflected in a reduction of donors and funds, making it increasingly difficult for other actors to respond effectively while already operating with limited resources.
These figures are expected to rise as ongoing assessments provide more data. Most homes, constructed from clay and bamboo, proved highly vulnerable to the storm.
