Zimbabwe requires 600 mln USD cyclone relief

HARARE, April 10  — The Zimbabwe government has said it requires at least 612 million U.S. dollars in assistance for Cyclone Idai victims.
Tropical Cyclone Idai hit the eastern and southern parts of the country last month leaving a trail of death and destruction.
The subsequent flooding was declared a state of disaster.
Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo said on Tuesday that the appeal was directed towards the domestic, regional and international community.
“The need amounts to 612 million US dollars,” he said during a post Cabinet briefing.
According to the appeal document, food security and nutrition would require 292 million dollars, logistics and emergency telecommunication 155 million dollars while emergency shelter and non food items required 75 million dollars.
Water Sanitation and Hygiene would require 51 million dollars, health 5.1 million dollars, education 10 million dollars, protection 20 million dollars and environment, forestry and wildlife restoration 4.5 million dollars.
The appeal, dubbed Tropical Cyclone Idai International Humanitarian Assistance Appeal, was targeted at 16,500 households, with an average of six members.
The appeal envisages support for the households from April this year to May 2020 when the next harvest is expected.
“In terms of food, we have said it will be a twelve month food supply chain. We have enough to last us up to end of May but we still will appeal for more food because it is a long haul,” Moyo said.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said evidence at hand pointed to an earthquake having hit Chimanimani prior to the flooding, thereby exacerbating the effects of the cyclone.
“Cabinet has established that the scale of the disaster was to some extent exacerbated by a 3.8 magnitude earthquake which hit the Chimanimani area shortly before the onset of the cyclone,” she said.
“The search and recovery process is now confined to the recovering of the deceased as the missing persons can now be presumed to be dead.
“Specialized equipment and relevant expertise are being mobilized towards the recovery of the bodies buried under massive rock debris.” she said.
Mutsvangwa said a team of experts was on the ground carrying out a disaster vulnerability assessment to determine the long-term settlement and land use patterns.
In the short term, government was working on identifying bodies of Zimbabweans who were swept away to Mozambique.
“A team of pathologists will travel to Mozambique to collect samples of the remains of Zimbabweans who were buried there in order to facilitate the conduct of DNA tests and subsequent identification by their relatives.
“Plans are also underway to establish monuments in honor of the departed persons in places such as Ngangu, Machongwe and Copper,” she said.