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

(CLO) On December 19, according to Mozambique's National Institute for Risk and Disaster Management, the death toll from the deadly storm Chido rose to 73, of which 66 people died in Cabo Delgado province, in the northern region of the country.

In addition to Cabo Delgado, the storm also caused damage in other provinces, with four people killed in Nampula and three in Niassa, further inland. More than 540 people were injured and one person is still 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 are feared dead.

More than 39,100 homes in Mozambique were reported to have been completely destroyed and more than 13,400 were partially damaged. In total, more than 329,500 people were affected by the storm.

Guy Taylor, UNICEF spokesman in Mozambique, described the situation in northern Mozambique as “absolutely devastated.” “This is an area where many people were already living in extremely precarious circumstances,” he said. “Mozambique has 3.4 million children in need of humanitarian assistance, and now they are facing the possibility of losing everything.”

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

After sweeping across Mozambique, Cyclone Chido continued to move 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, more than 200 of them seriously. French authorities have requested 10,000 tents and emergency relief equipment from the European Union's support mechanism to help Mayotte.

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Mayotte on Thursday, meeting 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 metal sheets, wood and household items.

Cabo Delgado, the hardest-hit region in Mozambique, was already plagued by conflict and underdevelopment. The storm only exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in the area. Aid agencies are appealing for urgent support 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