from ARMANDO DOMINGOS in Maputo, Mozambique
Mozambique Bureau
MAPUTO, (CAJ News) – PEOPLE with disabilities are bearing the brunt of the floods that have killed more than 100 people in Mozambique in recent weeks.
More than 645 000 people have been affected following weeks of heavy rain and flooding in the impoverished Southern African country.
At least 112 people have lost their lives, tens of thousands have been displaced and thousands of homes have been destroyed.
More rain is forecast, as the country enters the annual cyclone season and faces the risk of a double crisis of flooding and cyclones.
Maputo, Gaza, Inhambane, Sofala and Zambezia provinces have been the worst hit, with temporary accommodation shelters established for displaced families.
Light for the World (LFTW) Mozambique, which supports programmes in Sofala, is working with partners to assess the needs of people with disabilities impacted by the floods.
A team from the country office has travelled to Buzi District to assess and improve physical accessibility of emergency accommodation centres.
The district government is requesting assistive devices for those displaced.
“The scale and pace of this unfolding crisis, including widespread displacement and damage to critical infrastructure, requires immediate action to save lives,” said Zacarias Zicai, Country Director for LFTW.
The official said people with disabilities were more likely to die and be affected in crises, and helpets must act now to ensure they are protected and had equal access to all humanitarian assistance.
“This emergency exacerbates existing vulnerabilities, as many communities are still recovering from successive extreme weather events, including flooding and cyclones,” Zicai said.
“In the emergency response to this crisis, information about emergency assistance must be communicated in accessible formats, emergency centres must be physically accessible, and assistive devices must be provided to those who need them. We must ensure people with disabilities are not left behind.”
An estimated 652 000 people have been affected by flooding across Mozambique following heavy and persistent rainfall since mid-December.
– CAJ News