Mozambique hit by tropical storm
Mozambique has recently been hit by a tropical storm. The country’s Catholic bishops are fearful that the storm will make the plight of hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people in the country even worse.
By ACN Staff
Internally displaced persons in Mozambique. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)
Mozambique is currently being swept by a tropical storm. The country’s bishops have expressed concern that the storm will compound the humanitarian crisis caused by the Islamist insurgency in the country’s north. Hundreds of thousands of people are currently internally displaced due to the violence.
Destruction caused by Tropical Storm Ana. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)
Tropical Storm Ana hit Mozambique on Monday, 24 January. So far, 14 deaths have been reported due to the storm. It is feared that the storm will devastate the hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people living in refugee camps.
Bishop Alberto Vera of Nacala spoke to ACN about the current issue and said the following:
“We are all praying that God may spare us another great disaster, in which it is always the poor who suffer the most.”
Bishop Hilário Massinga of Quelimane explained that there were two days of heavy rain before the storm hit:
“The rivers overflowed and swept everything along with them, including people, houses and other goods.
Roads are flooded, in other cases, trees have collapsed across them or on houses, and many houses are in ruins. Seminarians are supposed to be heading back to seminary these days, but at least six are isolated and unable to secure safe transportation to the capital, Maputo.”
Destruction caused by Tropical Storm Ana. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)
The concerns of the bishops are well warranted. In January 2021, cyclone Eloise killed 12 people and impacted the lives of a further 300,000 people in Mozambique. Hundreds were also killed in 2018 and 2019 by cyclones Idai and Kenneth, which left a trail of destruction in Mozambique amongst other countries.
ACN has several projects to support internally displaced people in Mozambique. In Cabo Delgado, the pontifical charity supports social integration initiatives and provides spiritual assistance to the displaced. In the Nacala and Nampula Dioceses, ACN supports an initiative to provide psychosocial support to enable internally displaced people to deal with the challenges they face as victims of war with greater resilience. In the Diocese of Quelimane, where hundreds of people fleeing from the Province of Cabo Delgado have found refuge, ACN support allows diocesan workers to distribute food, hygiene products, seeds and small tools for cultivating the fields to 500 displaced families. A similar project was financed for the diocese of Lichinga, which has recently also been affected by Islamist terrorist attacks.
Please join us in prayer for the people of Mozambique.