Message on Cyclone Kenneth – Quirimba’s Mozambique
On Thursday 25 April Cyclone Kenneth made landfall in Northern Mozambique. It was a Force 4 cyclone and struck with tremendous force affecting some of the Quirimba Islands north of Pemba, Mozambique. Islands most seriously affected were Ibo, Matemo and Quirimba. Over a thousand homes have been destroyed on Ibo Island with serious damage to infrastructure, electrical power installations and currently there is no communication with the island except by satellite phone. There has been no loss of life on the islands reported so far, but the humanitarian impact is severe and very real.
NGO’s and aid organizations are scrambling to get aid to the region, and this includes The Gift of the Givers and many more.
Ibo Island tourism infrastructure has suffered but is likely to be restored and operational within the next ten days. The islands and communities need the support from this vital industry to help with their recovery, and we need to get this on track again as soon as we can.
The United Nations now sees the need for a new large-scale humanitarian operation to respond to Cyclone Kenneth and its impact on Northern Mozambique, at a time when aid to those affected by Idai remains “critically underfunded”.
“Cyclone Kenneth may require a major new humanitarian operation at the same time that the ongoing Cyclone Idai response targeting three million people in three countries remains critically underfunded,” UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mark Lowcock, said.
With maximum sustained wind speeds of 225 kph and gusts that reached over 270 kph. The cyclone ripped roofs off homes and continues to generate heavy rainfall resulting in severe flooding as it moves in a southerly direction inland of the coast.
This new “disaster” comes only six weeks after Cyclone Idai devastated Beira and central Mozambique, killing more than 600 people, unleashing a cholera epidemic, wiping out crops in the country’s breadbasket. Over a million people now rely on food aid to survive.
Ibo Island Lodge is intricately involved in assisting relief teams and aid efforts and will continue to do so.
The biggest challenge right now is to facilitate air access to Ibo Island to take in rescue teams and emergency supplies. We are working with Safari Air who have been amazing and offered free flights and reduced rates to take the teams and supplies in.
If you would like to help please make donations to the following account…… Clearly reference your payment as Kenneth Rescue when making payment. All assistance would be greatly appreciated and used with full transparently for direct assistance.
