WCK Field Kitchen Set Up in Response to Cyclone Batsirai
In early February, Tropical Cyclone Batsirai hit the east coast of Madagascar, bringing destructive winds and flooding—at landfall, the storm had the equivalent strength of a Category 3 hurricane, and at its peak, maximum sustained winds reached more than 130 mph. Batsirai came just two weeks after Tropical Storm Ana killed dozens of people and displaced many more in the northern part of Madagascar.
WCK’s Relief Team arrived immediately after the storm to begin supporting displaced families. Mananjary, a coastal community of about 25,000, was hard hit by Batsirai and left with no power or clean source of drinking water. Our team worked quickly to get a WCK Field Kitchen set up with capacity to cook thousands of daily meals. Additionally, to supply the kitchen with usable water, we worked with other relief organizations to help build a clean water system. Sourcing fresh ingredients from a local market and hiring a team of about 50 people from the area, our kitchen was up and running fast, preparing dishes like chicken, potato, and green bean stew over rice. WCK’s Relief Team is currently serving 12 different locations across Mananjary, including shelters housing displaced families and schools serving as temporary homes.
In addition to our service in Mananjary, WCK team members have headed north to see how we may be able to support more communities impacted by the cyclone. Traveling from Ihosy to Ivohibe, WCK’s Melissa met families living in small, rural communities connected by a largely unpaved road. Many of the communities rely on the rice they grow in surrounding fields, much of which was destroyed by the storm. To support families as they recover, WCK will supply rice, beans, and oil to 12,000 people in Ihosy, Ivohibe, and Iakora.
As our team continues preparing hot, nutritious meals each day, we are also tracking another incoming cyclone, set to hit the coast of Madagascar next week. Working with our partners on the ground, we will ensure we can continue supporting impacted communities safely both leading up to, and after, the storm. It’s predicted that before the cyclone season ends in several months, 8 to 12 more cyclones may hit southern Africa—a result of warming ocean waters.
For the latest on our #ChefsForMadagascar response, follow WCK on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also support our immediate disaster response and solutions that build resilience in communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis by donating to our Climate Disaster Fund here.
