It has been a bad start to the year in Mozambique. First, Quelimane City was partially submerged after intense rains in January. The central region was hit by large-scale flooding in February, sparking fears of a repeat of the disaster of 2000/01 as 163Â 000 Mozambicans living in low-lying areas along the Zambezi River and its tributaries were displaced.
Thousands of children displaced by the flood waters continue to live in temporary camps. Their education has been interrupted, and girls and young women are more susceptible to sexual abuse and exploitation in these camps than they were in their communities.
Then, in late February, came Cyclone Favio, which ravaged parts of Inhambane, a province heavily reliant on the tourism industry, as well as southern Sofala province. Heavy rainfall and winds exceeding 230km/h left behind a trail of destruction. Two children were killed. Roofs were ripped off poorly built houses. Hospitals, health centres, schools, shops and other infrastructure were damaged. Many farmers in the area who struggle to feed their families throughout the year lost crops and livestock.
And just as the weather-related emergencies were over, an ammunition dump exploded last week on the outskirts of Maputo (although there have been claims that this, too, was weather related, and that it was sparked by unseasonably high temperatures). More than 100 people, including children, were killed and at least 500 injured by falling shells and debris.
Amid the chaos, families scattered throughout the city in search of shelter. Children were separated from their parents, and days later at least 160 children were still unable to find their parents.
Disasters wreak havoc around the globe, but the extent of the devastation often depends on the vulnerability of those affected, as well as the capacity of governments to prevent and respond to them. A recent explosion in a fireworks factory in the United Kingdom, for example, caused only the death of one firefighter. In poor communities in countries like Mozambique, where people are forced to live in areas prone to emergencies, their poverty makes them more susceptible to real harm.
Lessons learnt
All these disasters have highlighted a number of issues for those of us working in humanitarian relief.
First is the need for communities to be better prepared. Emergency preparedness and response is not just the responsibility of governments and international organisations. In the initial stages of any natural disaster, many isolated communities must respond on their own — being prepared and knowing what to do when disaster strikes is vitally important and saves lives.
Children themselves can also play an important role in prevention and mitigation as Save the Children’s experience has shown in many countries. In Zimbabwe, for example, children in schools were trained in malaria control and were instrumental in reducing the incidence of the disease in several communities in the east of the country. In Cuba, children were the principle trainees of emergency-preparedness training run by Save the Children, and through them messages were delivered to other members of their communities on what to do during cyclones and floods.
To assist in this area in Mozambique, Save the Children and its government partner, the National Institute for Disaster Management, have just disseminated 200Â 000 brochures in both Portuguese and Sena to affected communities. The brochures provide tips on how better to prepare for and help mitigate against the effects of floods, cyclones, and earthquakes.
For example, families are advised on measures to secure their property before a cyclone hits, so that losses can be reduced. The brochure also suggests that families wrap their identity documents in plastic and carry clean water with them when they leave their homes, so that valuable documentation is not lost and the risk of water-borne disease is reduced. Another tip is to listen to community radio to stay informed on what is happening and be prepared if evacuation becomes necessary.
Children affected
The emergencies this year have also taught us that children are affected in different ways than adults. Children’s schooling is interrupted when a natural disaster strikes, often for an extended period. Children can also be traumatised when they lose their homes and are forced to live in precarious circumstances. This means that those providing care and protection for children in emergencies need to offer appropriate psychosocial support.
The past few months in Mozambique have been devastating for everyone affected by the disasters that have befallen the country. Hopefully the country can get back to its important business of reconstruction, development and tackling HIV/Aids.
We hope lessons have been learned and that the country and its population will be able to confront the next natural disaster — for there will be one — with more information, preparedness and capacity so that loss of life and property can be reduced further. With climate-change predictions of increased flood risk and more extreme weather conditions, we all have a responsibility to be more prepared. It’s no time to say that we haven’t been warned.
Chris McIvor is the Mozambique programme director for Save the Children