Bristol’s twin city in Mozambique devastated by cyclone – how you can help

After Bristol’s twin city Beira was devastated by a cyclone, a fundraising campaign has been set up by the city’s twinning association to help rebuild Beira directly and sustainably.

Cyclone Idai, a category 2 storm, hit the Mozambique port city of Beira on March 15 and caused widespread destruction and flooding. Reports suggest that 90% of the city was damaged or destroyed and the death toll is 446 and expected to rise, with hundreds of thousands of people displaced. Mozambicans now face an enormous reconstruction challenge and a humanitarian crisis as incidents of cholera and malaria rise in the wake of flooding and vital infrastructure needs to be rebuilt.

‘Bristol Link with Beira’ is the twinning association for Bristol and Beira and has set up a fundraising campaign to help support and rebuild Beira, aiming to reach £25,000. The campaign can be found at https://www.fundsurfer.com/crowdfund/beira-cyclone-crisis-and-sustainability-campaign. Donations will supply short and long term support to Beira – from essential supplies such as food and water, temporary shelters, to helping to rebuild essential infrastructure such as schools.

Green group leader councillor Eleanor Combley called on Bristolians to show solidarity with Beira and support the fundraising campaign. She said:

“My heart goes out those in our twin city Beira in Mozambique, devastated last week by Cyclone Idai. There are reports that 90% of the city has been damaged or destroyed and as many as 1000 people could be dead – I simply can’t imagine what destruction on that scale must feel like for those living through it.”

“As a relatively wealthy city in a relatively wealthy nation, we in Bristol have a duty to do what we can to help our twin city Beira pick itself back up, and I’d urge everyone to give generously to the fundraising campaign. Tragedy like this really brings home the vulnerability of people in developing countries to global climate changes. As the oceans warm, cyclones are becoming more severe, and rising sea levels make more areas prone to flooding. It is more vital than ever that we take seriously our responsibility to reduce our climate impact.”

Image is of Cyclone Idai by NASA – licensed for public use