Praia, Aug. 22, 2025 (Lusa) - A specialist from the International Federation of the Red Cross will arrive in São Vicente on Monday to assess needs and strengthen the response following the storm that left nine dead, the organisation's president in Cabo Verde announced on Friday.
‘We're going to receive a specialist who, together with the government services and the island's authorities, will assess the real needs, the levels of intervention and ways to support the country's efforts, especially in the areas of water, sanitation and the environment,’ said the president of the Cabo Verde Red Cross (CVCV), Arlindo Carvalho, quoted by Rádio de Cabo Verde (RCV).
According to Carvalho, the intervention will also include sustainable supply solutions and support for families who have lost production assets and livelihoods.
‘We need to find answers so that people can recover their living conditions and resilience,’ he said.
On mission on the island since Wednesday, Arlindo Carvalho met with the minister for internal affairs, national and regional parliamentarians, companies, the Spanish Cooperation Agency and representatives of the United Nations, to articulate response strategies.
"São Vicente has suffered a lot, but we've also seen the determination of people and institutions to get the island back on its feet. Together with the authorities, we're going to face this difficult time," he said.
Cabo Verde's Red Cross has launched a national campaign to collect goods and funds to support the people of São Vicente and Santo Antão.
Volunteers from the organisation are also taking part in the Crisis Office's assessment team on the ground.
The storm that hit the island of São Vicente about a week ago caused nine deaths, two missing persons, flooded neighbourhoods and damage to roads, houses, bridges and commercial establishments, as well as power outages.
The government has declared a six-month disaster in São Vicente, Porto Novo (Santo Antão) and the two municipalities of São Nicolau, with a response plan that includes emergency support for families and businesses, subsidised credit lines and non-repayable grants.
The measures will be financed by the National Emergency Fund and the Sovereign Emergency Fund, created in 2019 to respond to natural disasters and external shocks.
RS/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
