In brief
The impacts of Cyclone Chido have intensified in Mozambique with the death toll climbing to 75, affecting an already vulnerable population in Cabo Delgado province, exacerbated by a lengthy insurgency, as rescue operations uncover the full extent of destruction.
The death toll from Cyclone Chido’s devastation in Mozambique has dramatically risen to 75, as authorities revealed on Friday, following extensive rescue efforts in areas isolated by the catastrophic storm. Making landfall in Cabo Delgado’s northern province earlier this week, the cyclone struck a region already engulfed in turmoil due to a prolonged insurgent conflict linked to the Islamic State, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee their homes. As reported by Mozambique’s National Institute for Natural Disasters, the storm resulted in at least 69 fatalities and injured 740 individuals, with the figures expected to rise as rescue workers navigate treacherous, washed-out roads to reach rural communities. In the worst-hit district of Mecufi, government and United Nations assessments highlighted widespread destruction. “What you see is utter destruction,” stated Isadora Zoni, a reporting officer with the UN refugee agency, after witnessing the devastation firsthand in Mecufi and its surroundings. “Everything’s been flattened.”As one of the world's poorest nations, Mozambique grapples with the brutal realities of climate change, routinely devastated by storms originating from the southern Indian Ocean. Cyclone Chido unleashed winds up to 115 miles per hour, characteristic of a Category 3 hurricane, causing significant damage to communities. Images from the disaster-stricken areas revealed mud homes washed away and wooden houses reduced to debris. Critical infrastructure, such as the maternity clinic in Mecufi, suffered severe damage, with vital equipment overturned and school facilities reduced to piles of rubble.Cabo Delgado’s situation was already dire, with numerous residents living in tents following previous insurgent attacks. Reports indicate that around 10,000 individuals in the Chiure district were affected by the cyclone, further compounding the challenges for those already facing crisis conditions. "People whose lives were already upended by conflict now have their situation compounded by climate shocks," Zoni explained, emphasizing the ongoing struggle for displaced populations.As Cyclone Chido traversed the region, it also impacted Mayotte, a French archipelago, where the death toll has reached at least 31 with concerns for more casualties. The cyclone dissipated after hitting landlocked Zimbabwe. Experts fear the onset of a destructive rainy season could unleash further cyclones and flooding in the future, with the UN Refugee Agency cautioning that past patterns demonstrate increased vulnerability to severe weather. Last year's Tropical Cyclone Freddy notably left a trail of devastation, and with nearly 140,000 people having already fled their homes due to extreme weather in Mozambique in recent years, the road to recovery remains steep.
