About Cyclone Idai
On March 14, 2019, Mozambique was hit by tropical Cyclone Idai. The storm, which evolved into a Category 3 cyclone, slammed into Mozambique with a speed of over 125 mph. At least 3 million people in the region (Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe) have been affected.
Mozambique was the hardest hit. The storm has directly impacted more than 400,000 people there. The cyclone caused massive destruction to infrastructure – particularly in the city of Beira with more than 500,000 residents – and nearby cities and villages, causing a complete power outage. Major road networks were completely blocked by fallen trees and rubble, and Beira was inaccessible by road. Buildings, including houses, schools, and health facilities were destroyed. Three months after the cyclone hit, more than half a million people were reportedly still living in destroyed or structurally damaged homes or were taking shelter in resettlement sites. Many of these places are unsafe and lack fundamental basic goods and services.
Mozambique is also experiencing its worst food insecurity emergency, with an unusually high number of households needing food assistance. As of September 2019, it was estimated that more than 1.6 million people have trouble accessing food.
