Cyclone Idai devastates Mozambique

Cyclone Idai has devastated large parts of Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe last week. According to the UN, it was the worst catastrophe caused by weather conditions in the southern hemisphere with millions of people being directly affected by the storm. The Mozambique city of Beira had been hit the worst during the disaster. As parts of it lie below sea level the port city has always been in danger of weather-related devastations.

First figures report a death toll of 200 people. However, President Filipe Nyusi expects the numbers to rise as there are many more people missing. Some 100,000 of them await rescue in Beira, officials say.

Idai hit the land with a wind speed of 177 km/h. As a result, Beira is heavily flooded, buildings are torn down and roads cut off. Almost every house has suffered damage by the cyclone leaving many people homeless with weather conditions continuing to be challenging. Due to the cut-off roads and bridges, it’s hard for aid workers to reach the trapped people and provide them with life-saving food, clothes, and medication. A UN food aid worker said: “there is no power. There is no telecommunication. The streets are littered with fallen electricity lines.”