Emergency Response to Cyclone Idai

On March 14 and 15, the category three storm known as Cyclone Idai reached the southeast coast of Africa. that 270,000 people are in need of humanitarian assistance in Zimbabwe, with about 181 fatalities and 330 people still missing. Numbers are expected to rise as access to isolated communities is restored by fixing the damaged roads and bridges.

When the storm struck, International Medical Corps was already working in Zimbabwe to promote nutrition; increase access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene; support maternal and child health; and build local capacity to respond to a disaster. This close proximity allowed our teams to deploy quickly to the most affected districts of Zimbabwe.

On March 27, 2019, our on-the-ground team traveled through difficult terrain to the Ngangu township in the Chimanimani district to look at the most urgent needs. In this area, our findings were staggering — many people have lost their homes, family members and communities, agricultural crops and their livelihoods. Access to safe water and psychosocial support are among their most critical needs.

International Medical Corps quickly provided 500 household hygiene kits to help reach the most disaster-affected families and worked to identify the most improtant gaps in services. These kits included much needed supplies like soap, toilet paper and sanitary pads to promote a sense of dignity among the most vulnerable.

We thank the generous GlobalGiving community for any help you can provide to help our teams reach the women, men, and children impacted by Cyclone Idai’s devastation. We look forward to updating you as our relief efforts continue.