In brief
The recent landfall of Cyclone Chido in Mozambique has caused catastrophic damage, with the death toll now reported at 75 as rescue operations uncover previously isolated areas.
The severe impact of Cyclone Chido in Mozambique has led to a staggering death toll of 75, as rescue teams gain access to areas previously cut off by the storm's destruction, the government reported on Friday. This figure nearly doubles earlier estimates, highlighting the disaster that has struck Cabo Delgado province, already plagued by ongoing insurgent conflict.The cyclone, which made landfall earlier this week, struck a region heavily impacted by a yearslong insurgency linked to the Islamic State. The National Institute for Natural Disasters stated that the storm has resulted in at least 69 fatalities in Cabo Delgado alone, alongside 740 injuries. Rescue workers faced treacherous conditions as they navigated washed-away dirt roads, revealing a harrowing scene in affected areas like Mecufi, where buildings were largely obliterated.Isadora Zoni, a representative from the United Nations' refugee agency, described Mecufi's destruction as "utter devastation," saying, "everything's been flattened." Images from the disaster zone depicted mud homes completely washed away and wooden houses reduced to mere debris. The storm's wrath completely obliterated the roof of a maternity health clinic while classrooms in local schools were left in ruins, filled only with scattered crumpled textbooks.The situation in Cabo Delgado was already dire, with hundreds of thousands displaced due to ongoing violence from insurgent attacks. Following Cyclone Chido, approximately 10,000 individuals in the Chiure district, already living in tents, faced even harsher challenges as climate-related crises compounded their struggles.As Cyclone Chido swept through the southern Indian Ocean, it boasted wind speeds of up to 115 miles per hour, classified as a Category 3 hurricane in the Atlantic. The storm also wreaked havoc in Mayotte, a French island near Africa's east coast, where at least 31 deaths have been reported, with fears of further casualties.The storm’s devastation raises concerns about an impending rainy season known for cyclones and severe flooding in the region, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency. Historical data shows that Mozambique has faced numerous dangerous tropical storms in recent years, with Tropical Cyclone Freddy causing extensive fatalities last year and Cyclone Gombe leaving 63 dead in 2022. The ongoing climate crisis has forced almost 140,000 people to abandon their homes due to extreme weather events in Mozambique all within a short span.Additionally, the plight of the affected communities underscores the dual threats of conflict and climate change that have created a perfect storm of humanitarian need in the region.
