'Death Storm' Chido sweeps through Mozambique, death toll rises to 73

(CLO) On December 19, according to the National Institute for Risk and Disaster Management of Mozambique, the death toll from the deadly Cyclone Chido rose to 73, with 66 deaths occurring in Cabo Delgado province, in the northern part of the country.

Besides Cabo Delgado, the storm also caused damage in other provinces, with four deaths in Nampula and three in Niassa, a more inland area. More than 540 people were injured, and one person remains missing.

Nearly 39,100 homes in Mozambique were destroyed by Cyclone Chido. Photo: UNICEF

Cyclone Chido made landfall in Mozambique on Sunday after sweeping across the Indian Ocean island of Mayotte, where hundreds of people may have been killed.

According to reports, more than 39,100 homes in Mozambique were completely destroyed and over 13,400 others were partially damaged. In total, more than 329,500 people were affected by the storm.

Guy Taylor, UNICEF spokesperson in Mozambique, described the situation in northern Mozambique as utterly devastated. He stressed: "This is an area where many people were already living in extremely precarious circumstances. Mozambique currently has 3.4 million children in need of humanitarian assistance, and now they face the added threat of losing everything."

Taylor said that many villages had been completely flattened, and the urgent need now was for shelter for the residents.

After sweeping through Mozambique, Cyclone Chido continued its journey into Malawi, killing 13 people and injuring dozens.

In the French overseas territory of Mayotte, at least 31 people have died and more than 1,500 have been injured, including over 200 seriously. French authorities have requested 10,000 tents and emergency relief equipment from the European Union's support mechanism to assist Mayotte.

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Mayotte on Thursday, meeting with residents and surveying the damage. In the town of Kaweni, near the capital Mamoudzou, the storm completely destroyed many homes in the slum, leaving behind a scene of wreckage including corrugated iron, wood, and household items.

Cabo Delgado, the hardest-hit area in Mozambique, already faces a long-standing conflict and underdevelopment. The storm has only exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in the region. Aid organizations are appealing for urgent assistance to provide shelter, food, clean water, and medicine to those affected.

Hong Hanh (according to Al Jazeera, UNICEF)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/bao-tu-than-chido-can-quet-o-mozambique-so-nguoi-chet-tang-len-73-post326571.html