By the time Eline struck Mozambique, there was already incoming assistance from the international community, responding to the earlier flooding. Mozambique's president at the time, Joaquim Chissano, requested for additional aid after the storm struck, asking for $65 million for both reconstruction and emergency aid, and later increasing the request to $160 million. By the end of February 2000, various countries had pledged $13.5 million to Mozambique, well short of the required needs, but that rose to nearly $119 million by March 17. By March 4, 39.6 tons of various relief goods reached the country, to be distributed from the towns of Bilene and Magul. The supplies nearly overwhelmed the small airport at Maputo, as lack of distribution caused food to decay in the sun.