Chalane: “The rain beat down and the house collapsed”

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Chalane: “The rain beat down and the house collapsed”

5:33 CAT | 06 Jan 2021

Chalane in Manica

Penniless, the families hit by Tropical Storm Chalane will try to rebuild their wrecked homes. Although the government is supporting them with supplies, citizens call for donations of construction material.

Tropical Storm Chalane’s passage through central Mozambique last week left more than 15,000 people homeless. According to the latest figures, 3,431 houses in Manica province collapsed, and dozens of classrooms were destroyed. Left completely without resources, many of those affected are asking how they will be able to rebuild their lives.

Chano Manecas says that his house was demolished by the passage of the storm. Now, the father of three living in Chimoio wants to get down to work and rebuild the family home.

“The rain beat down and the house collapsed,” he says. He has already received some help – food products (rice, beans and oil) and a tent – but says that what he needs is construction material. “I am looking for material to carry out the work, but with the rains like this, earning money is very difficult. I don’t have a steady job, I am a handyman,” he explains.

Chalanedt.dw_ — *Governor Francisca Domingos Tomás (right) visits an affected community*

Fátima João has also received food support from the National Institute for Disaster Management (INGC), and is grateful for the help. The next step is to rebuild her home. “I will continue to do odd jobs. Money is difficult and I don’t know where I’ll get what I need for reconstruction,” she says.

To make matters worse, Fátima João has health problems, and is in charge of nine grandchildren and children. “For this reason, I was unable to save anything from the house that fell down, and I don’t know what we’re going to eat,” she says.

“Resilient residences”

The reconstruction task is enormous. The governor of Manica, Francisca Domingos Tomás, calls on communities to build houses that are more resistant to the storms that will result from climate change.

Chalaneh.dw_ — *Government suggests building more resistant houses*

Tomás said that the provincial government was supporting the displaced in Gondola, who had “suffered a lot from the cyclone” with food and tarpaulins, and on Monday visited several families affected by storm Chalane in the districts of Gondola, Chimoio and Sussundenga.

“For the most part, these are precarious houses that are collapsing. In addition to the support in terms of food and tarpaulins that the government is giving, we are advising families that they can better get back on their feet by building more resilient homes,” the governor said.

Source: Deutsche Welle