UNICEF / CHILDREN CYCLONE FREDDY

STORY: UNICEF / CHILDREN CYCLONE FREDDY
TRT: 01:31
SOURCE: UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT UNICEF ON SCREEN
LANGUAGE: NATS

DATELINE: 11-13 MARCH 2023, QUELIMANE CITY, ZAMBEZIA PROVINCE, MOZAMBIQUE

SHOTLIST:

11 MARCH 2023, QUELIMANE CITY, ZAMBEZIA PROVINCE, MOZAMBIQUE

1. Various shots, rain, wind blowing palm trees, UNICEF van driving through high water, people walking on muddy streets

12 MARCH 2023, QUELIMANE CITY, ZAMBEZIA PROVINCE, MOZAMBIQUE

2. Wide shot, people walking, flooded streets and rain

13 MARCH 2023, QUELIMANE CITY, ZAMBEZIA PROVINCE, MOZAMBIQUE

3. Aerial shots, flooded homes, streets, villages
4. Various shots, people walking, flooded streets
5. Various shots, young people, makeshift shelter, Manhaua Elementary School

STORYLINE:
According to UNICEF, one week after Cyclone Freddy made landfall for a second time in Mozambique, creating severe disruption to critical services, the threat of cholera is growing rapidly for children and families.

Thanks to preparation efforts by Government, the number of deaths and people displaced by the cyclone appears to have been lower than for past cyclones of similar magnitude.

But flooding caused by Cyclone Freddy, compounded by interruption of water, sanitation, and hygiene services, is driving a rapid acceleration in cholera case numbers.

Reported cases have almost quadrupled – to almost 10,700 – since early February, and more than 2300 cases have been reported during the past week alone.

A total of 36 districts across eight provinces of Mozambique are currently experiencing active cholera outbreaks, with Inhambane and Zambezia, the provinces impacted by Cyclone Freddy on its first and second impacts, now both declaring outbreaks.

In addition to the risk of cholera, UNICEF is greatly concerned about the strong likelihood of an increase in cases of other waterborne diseases like diarrhoea and malaria, which are among the leading causes of child mortality.

With health and nutrition services seriously disrupted in many locations in the aftermath of the cyclone, the risk of death and disease for children increases further.

In support of the Government, UNICEF is already working with UN and civil society partners to respond to cholera and the impacts of Cyclone Freddy and flooding.

UNICEF has provided over US $1.2 million in health and WASH supplies in 2023 and technical and financial support to the Government and NGO partners.

UNICEF supported a cholera vaccination campaign that reached 720,000 people in February and is facilitating the procurement of an additional 1.36 million vaccines for delivery in the coming weeks.

UNICEF also distributes critical supplies, including water purification, treatment, storage supplies, hygiene kits, disinfectant, and soap.

UNICEF is also supporting efforts to ensure students quickly regain access to learning.

Estimates from the Mozambique National Institute of Disaster Risk Management (INGD) suggest that more than 1500 classrooms have been destroyed by Cyclone Freddy, disrupting learning for more than 134,000 students.

None of the 1025 climate-resilient classrooms constructed since 2019 with UNICEF support suffered damage during Cyclone Freddy, demonstrating the importance of investing in climate-resilient infrastructure.

UNICEF’s funding requirements are more than US $60 million to respond to the needs of children and families affected by Cyclone Freddy, flooding and cholera, providing lifesaving supplies, services, and technical support in water, sanitation, and hygiene; health; education; nutrition; child and social protection, with behaviour change interventions integrated across all sectors.