The city of Tamatave was left completely in the dark after the power line fell and large areas were flooded. Destroyed homes, torn roofs, fallen trees and impassable roads describe a landscape of devastation after the cyclone passed. According to initial local reports, up to 90% of the roofs of houses in some coastal neighbourhoods were destroyed.
The Salesian community, present in the city since 2018 and with over a decade of previous work in the area, also suffered serious damage. The most damaged were the oratory, which welcomes about 550 children and young people every weekend; the “Domenico Savio” school; the parish and the infrastructure under construction for the future Vocational Training Centre.
Faced with this emergency, the Salesians have launched an urgent project with a twofold purpose: to meet immediate basic needs and to repair damaged infrastructure. The intervention plans to support around 500 affected people and 50 families who have lost their homes through quarterly food distribution, the provision of essential medicines, free medical consultations and the construction of temporary shelters.
The Salesian works were severely damaged by the loss of building roofs and the consequent entry of water into classrooms, warehouses and canteens.
‘We have lost food and materials. The school canteen warehouse no longer exists,’ explained Fr Raharinjatovo Soloniaina Louis Patrick, parish priest in Tamatave, after assessing the damage on the ground.
In addition, the repair of roofs and educational and pastoral buildings will be addressed, which is essential for the resumption of activities with highly vulnerable children and young people.
In the Atsinanana region, where Tamatave is located, annual rainfall exceeds 3,000 mm and the area is frequently hit by tropical cyclones. In this context, reconstruction involves not only building walls, but also strengthening the resilience of communities living in conditions of constant risk.
Misiones Salesianas, the Salesian Mission Office in Madrid, is therefore launching an appeal for solidarity in order to respond quickly to this disaster. This aid will make it possible to restore safe spaces for children’s education, ensure food security for affected families and support their recovery.
Amidst the destruction, the Salesian missionaries remain at the side of the population. From Tamatave, they say: ‘We cannot leave our young people and their families alone at this time. They need food, shelter and hope.’
Source: Misiones Salesianas
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