IOM has delivered 1,000 tarpaulins to homeless families in the
northern coastal province of Nampula in Mozambique as part of its
emergency response to the destruction caused by Cyclone Jokwe.

Following heavy floods in December 2007, Mozambique was again
hit by a natural disaster on 7-8 March when Jokwe lashed through
its central districts before travelling northwards to Nampula with
wind speeds of up to 130 km/h.

An assessment carried out by IOM just days after in consultation
with Mozambique's National Institute for Disaster Management (INGC)
found that shelter and food were the most pressing needs for the
affected populations in Nampula province.  Many tens of
thousands of people were left homeless in the aftermath of the
cyclone while hundreds of classrooms, health centres, businesses
and other buildings and structures were either badly damaged or
destroyed.

Affected districts in Nampula included Ilha de Mocambique,
Mossuril, Monapo, and Nacala Porto with the worst hit areas being
Mogincual, Angoche and Moma.

According to IOM assessments, 15,000 houses were fully or
partially damaged in Mongicual district alone, while most of the
coastal administrative posts were demolished. In the Namige area,
cashew groves and processing plants that provided employment to
hundreds of residents were brushed away. Residents estimate that it
will take four years for the cashew trees to grow and yield
again.

Angoche and Moma faced similar crises.  In Angoche, 16,000
houses were fully or partially damaged, while Aube and other island
fishing villages were devastated.

The tarpaulins, purchased with funding from the UN's Central
Emergency Response Fund (CERF) will provide emergency shelter for
homeless families in Mongicual and Angoche districts although
additional funding is being sought to provide other critically
needed humanitarian assistance.

For more information, please contact:

Jerotich Seii Houlding

Tel: +258 21 310 779

E-mail: "mailto:jseiihoulding@iom.int">jseiihoulding@iom.int