mbulelo smpofu
THE district of Mecúfi, the entry point for cyclone Chido in Mozambique, is almost completely destroyed, with around 76,000 people without communications or power, organisations on the ground said on Tuesday.
“As soon as we entered, we could see that almost everything, whether private or government infrastructure, is almost completely destroyed, including the homes of the people of Mecúfi,” Hélia Seda, project manager at the Portuguese non-governmental development organisation (NGDO) Helpo in Mozambique, told Lusa after visiting the district.
Quoting the local administrator, Hélia Seda said that around 76,000 people were affected by the cyclone in Mecúfi. The district is without communication, electricity and had food, health, infrastructure and shelter needs.
“When we went there to talk to the administrator, the first need that was pointed out was food. We saw some people taking a little bit of food from the rubble of their houses to feed their families, so it’s a situation of great need,” she said.
Images sent to Lusa yesterday show several buildings without roofs, houses of precarious construction completely destroyed, objects, clothes and bushes scattered throughout Mecúfi and, according to Helpo, impassable roads and overflowing lakes, rivers and streams.
Only one school and two classrooms withstood the cyclone, said Hélia Seda, noting that, together with the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef), Helpo took hygiene kits and other materials to the affected families.
“All possible, help is important right now (…). The entire population of Mecúfi has been affected without distinction,” she said, adding that even the communities and schools identified by the authorities as safe places to stay could not withstand Cyclone Chido.
The United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) warned of the critical health system in the district of Mecúfi, with professionals forced to work in a school in “extremely precarious” conditions, a situation that hampers the provision of effective care.
“All the medical equipment has been lost due to exposure to the elements. There is an urgent need for support to safely dispose of these spoilt medicines to avoid the risk of their misuse,” says Ocha in a document updating data on the impacts of Cyclone Chido in Mozambique, released today.
The NGO also stated that the community urgently needs food and shelter and prioritised replenishing essential medicines and rebuilding health services.
At least 34 people died in Cabo Delgado, Nampula and Niassa when intense tropical cyclone Chido hit on Sunday, and 35,000 homes were affected, as well as 34 health centres, according to a new preliminary report released today.
According to a report by the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD), the intense tropical cyclone Chido, which was rated three (one to five) and formed on December 5 in the southwest of the Indian Ocean, entered Mozambique on Sunday through the district of Mecúfi, “with winds of around 260 kilometres per hour” and heavy rains.
Among the preliminary impacts already accounted for, up until 18:00 local time (minus two hours in Lisbon) on Monday, the situation affected 174,518 people, totalling 34,219 families. There were 34 deaths—28 in Cabo Delgado, three in Nampula, and three in Niassa—and 319 injured. 11,744 houses were partially destroyed and 23,598 were totally destroyed.
Mozambique is considered one of the countries most severely affected by climate change. During the rainy season, which lasts from October to April, it experiences cyclical floods and tropical cyclones. – AFP
