People receive food aid after Cyclone Idai from a helicopter drop at a distribution centre at Ngangu in Chimanimani, Zimbabwe.
“Already, some cholera cases have been reported in Beira along with an increasing number of malaria infections among people trapped by the flooding,” said the International Federation of Red Cross in a statement.“We are running out of time, it is at a critical point here,” UN children’s agency chief Henrietta Fore told AFP after she flew into the devastated port city of Beira from New York.
WFP declared the flood crisis a level three emergency, putting it on a par with Yemen, Syria and South Sudan. The town of Buzi situated across the estuary southwest of Beira “has reportedly disappeared, with the water as high as the palm trees” and 40 prisoners and staff still trapped on a roof, said the International Committee of the Red Cross .
“I have four children, and they’re only going to eat bread? Give me a bag of aid,” demanded one man, who did not give his name.