Deadly cyclone Freddy began forming off northwestern Australia in the first week of February, then crossed the southern Indian Ocean, struck Madagascar on February 21, and reached Mozambique on February 24, causing strong winds, flooding, and landslides.
"WFP is urgently calling for US$ 26.7 million to enable its response over the coming weeks and months. With additional support, WFP will be able to immediately scale-up food assistance to 500,000 affected people, provide nutrition support to the 40,600 people, and continue logistics support for humanitarian partners over the next six months," WFP said in a document dubbed Call for Funding.
According to WFP, the Freddy system has caused devastation across southern and central Mozambique since February. A total of 1,200,000 people and 550,000 hectares of farmland have been affected by the cyclone in eight provinces of Mozambique, namely Gaza, Inhambane, Sofala, Manica, Zambezia, Niassa, Tete, and Nampula. The cyclone has killed 183 people and damaged over 283,000 houses, the document said.
The organization noted that affected people were living "without critical support and no alternative for meeting their basic needs."
WFP also said the cyclone "has broken several world records, including longest recorded tropical cyclone," and brought winds up to 170 kph (105 mph).