After Destroying Mayotte, A Huge Cyclone Has Now Hit Mozambique, Wrecking Havoc And Killing 73
Mozambique's authorities have called Cyclone Chido "one of the most intense storms ever recorded".
After causing destruction in the French island of Mayotte, cyclone Chido has struck northern Mozambique, killing at least 73 people and injuring more than 500 people.
On Dec. 11, Chido struck Mayotte, leaving what some have described as an apocalyptic scene and killing at least 31 people, according to France's ministry of internal affairs.
However, local authorities have warned that the death toll could reach hundreds or even thousands.
Cyclone Chido then struck northern Mozambique on Sunday, Dec. 15, bringing heavy rains and high gusts that wreaked havoc mostly in the provinces of Cabo Delgado, Nampula and Niassa.
In Cabo Delgado alone, the cyclone killed 37 people. Eight were killed in Niassa and Nampula, including a three-year-old girl.
In addition, Chido impacted around 1,74,000 people in Mozambique and destroyed nearly 35,000 residences, displacing many.
The cyclone also caused extensive damage to infrastructure, including schools, healthcare facilities, and fishing boats.
Mozambique’s National Institute of Risk and Disaster Management (INGD) called cyclone Chido "one of the most intense storms ever recorded".
They described the situation as "heart-breaking" and warned the death toll could rise.
Electricity and communication lines were also disrupted, with the state-owned power company reporting that 200,000 customers were without power, the BBC reported.
Several international organizations actively involved themselves in the relief operations following the landfall of the cyclone.
UNHCR distributed emergency supplies such as blankets, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, and shelter materials to nearly 2,600 people at accommodation centers in Pemba, the capital of Cabo Delgado.
However, destruction of infrastructure has hindered the delivery of aid.
"We are talking about the entire area being completely destroyed and washed away. What is really scary is the number of people that are still missing," Tommaso Della Longa from the Red Cross told the BBC.
There are also fears that Cyclone Chido could signal a harsher rainy season ahead and as a result more cyclones and flooding may follow, according to BBC.
Just last year, Mozambique was struck by Cyclone Freddy, one of the longest storms in the Southern Hemisphere, covering half of the earth. Freddy killed nearly 180 people, according to the World Meteorological Organization.
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