African Studies 2019

After Mozambique was hit with the cyclone that destroyed everything in its path, a new problem has arrived for the people dealing with what is left of their homes. Cholera, a bacterial infection, has been confirmed in Beira and it is expected that there will be many more to come as the living situations for many people have become squalid as the access to clean water and proper shelter is in high demand with such little to no supply. The world health organization has stated that if the infection spreads throughout the region that it may be a "second disaster" to hit the people of Mozambique but with steps being taken to stop the problem before it may even start, it is expected that 900,000 oral cholera vaccinations arrive to the country to fight the issue before it gets out of hand. With the cyclone having  killed roughly 468 in Mozambique, 259 in Zimbabwe and 51 in Malawi and leaving millions in urgent need of help there is no telling what a cholera outbreak can do to t

Mozambique was hit with a cyclone earlier this week, after dealing with severe flooding, that may have a death toll of possibly over 1,000 people with 10,000 more in danger. The president made an announcement stating that 2 river banks broke which wiped out different communities and isolating them from one another with bodies of some deceased floating in the water. Parts of Malawi and Zimbabwe were affected as it went through Mozambique and all 3 countries having each over 150 accounted for deaths. There are reports from the IFRC that the damage is enormous with pretty much everything from roads to communication lines completely destroyed and some affected areas aren't even accessible. With so many people still missing the official number of those who are officially dead and those who are still just missing can rise as the days/search and rescue continues.  

In Lagos, Nigeria a 3-story building that not only housed residents but a nursery and primary school collapsed with 8 people not making it out alive. As rescuers worked through the night there was at least 37 of the 70 people inside pulled out from the rubles of what was left of the building. Construction in the city of 23.4 million people is not the best, with building coming down regularly enough for it to not be surprising to the people of Lagos but still devastating and worrisome. Lagos with the number of people it has living in its reported to have bad construction, terrible public access to water, and narrow access roads. The living conditions are not being improved as families are living in housing with tilted floors and cracked foundations. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/13/world/africa/lagos-nigeria-building-collapse-children-school.html