德国邮政 DHL 集团已部署其灾难响应小组 (DRT)，在贝拉当地机场提供援助。DRT 为机场工作人员提供建议，并为非组织 (NGO) 协调收到的人道主义援助。次部署到非洲的 DRT 由 Deutsche Post DHL Group 人道主义事务总监 Chris Weeks 领导。陪同他的是来自阿拉伯联合酋长国、莫桑比克和南非的 DHL 志愿者团队。
联合国和其他人道主义组织也向贝拉部署了工作人员。许多帮手仍在机场，正在为继续运输安排安全的选择。“目前没有多少援助，”克里斯·威克斯解释说，“但我们预计这种情况会发生变化，因为联合国已拨款 2000 万美元用于提供人道主义援助。” 灾难响应小组正在与国家和国际人道主义援助组织以及负责的机场人员密切合作，以提供后勤支持。“在发生自然灾害后，救援物资的后勤协调至关重要，”Weeks 说。“作为在灾害管理方面拥有丰富经验的物流专家，我们的技能和知识可以帮助挽救生命。
“我们从本周开始就一直在这里。灾难发生一个半星期后，莫桑比克这一地区的情况仍然危急。雨还没有停，洪水无法排走，河水继续上涨，”Weeks 说。“目前，贝拉机场是该市为数不多的干燥且基础设施正常运转的地方之一。” 该机场目前正在接收大部分传入援助，例如水、食物、帐篷、燃料、医疗用品和技术设备。这些物品在贝拉以及农村地区和其他受飓风影响的地方进行分类和分发。
“很难估计造成的破坏和破坏的全部程度。毫无疑问，在接下来的几天里，我们会看到后续影响——例如疟疾等疾病的爆发，这是由死水助长并增加对医疗用品的需求。我们的团队随时准备提供帮助，”Weeks 说。
On the night of March 14th to 15th, cyclone Idai made landfall in Mozambique and neioring countries Zimbabwe and Malawi. A series of storm surges and massive flooding followed, causing widespread damage and destruction. In Mozambique hundreds of thousands of people are said to be homeless, electricity supply is sporadic and large swathes of the country are cut off from the outside world. Current reports say there are 550 casualties, but estimates point to as many as one thousand. The Mozambique government has declared a state of emergency. Extensive damage to infrastructure such as communications systems, electricity supply and roads is making it extremely difficult to provide humanitarian help and logistics. Deutsche Post DHL Group has deployed its Disaster Response Team (DRT) to provide assistance at the local airport in Beira. The DRT advises airport personnel and coordinates incoming humanitarian aid for non-governmental organizations (NGOs). This first DRT deployment to Africa is headed by Chris Weeks, Director for Humanitarian Affairs at Deutsche Post DHL Group. He is accompanied by a team of DHL volunteers from the United Arab Emirates, Mozambique and South Africa.
The United Nations and other humanitarian organizations have also deployed staff to Beira. Many of the helpers are still at the airport and are organizing safe options for onward transport. “There isn’t much aid coming in right now,” Chris Weeks explains, “but we expect that to change as the UN has allocated USD 20 million to provide humanitarian help.” The Disaster Response Team is cooperating closely with national and international humanitarian aid organizations, and with the responsible airport personnel to provide logistical support. “In the wake of a natural disaster, logistical coordination of relief supplies is crucial,” says Weeks. “As logistics specialists with vast experience in disaster management, our skills and expertise can help save lives. We help airport personnel to process relief supplies quickly so that they reach the victims of the cyclone in the fastest possible time.”
“We have been here since the start of the week. One and a half weeks after the disaster, conditions in this part of Mozambique remain critical. The rain hasn’t let up, the floodwater can’t drain away and the river continues to rise,” says Weeks. “Right now, the airport in Beira is one of the few places in the city that is dry and has functioning infrastructure.” The airport is currently receiving most of the incoming aid such as water, food, tents, fuel, medical supplies and technical equipment. These are sorted and distributed in Beira as well as in rural areas and other places affected by the cyclone.
“It’s hard to estimate the full extent of the damage and destruction caused. We’ll no doubt see follow-on effects over the next few days – such as outbreaks of diseases like malaria, which is fostered by stagnant water and increases the need for medical supplies. Our team is standing by to help,” says Weeks.