Mozambican Death Toll from Cyclone Chido Rises to 120; 110,000 Homes Destroyed
The deadly toll from Cyclone Chido, which devastated Mozambique and the Indian Ocean last week, has climbed to 120, an increase of 26 from the previous count, according to an AFP report from Monday, December 23, 2024. The topan, which wreaked havoc on the French island of Mayotte before striking the African mainland, left a trail of destruction with winds gusting up to 160 miles per hour and torrential rainfall of 10 inches in just 24 hours.
The hardest hit was the northern province of Cabo Delgado, which has long been plagued by Islamist insurgency and is no stranger to tropical storms. Over 500,000 of Mozambique’s 700,000 affected citizens reside in this region, where the storm’s fury was amplified by human-induced climate change.
In Mecufi district, where the storm’s impact was most severe, a mosque had its roof peeled off by the storm, as captured by UNICEF. On Sunday, Daniel Chapo, the president-in-waiting from the ruling Frelimo party, visited the affected areas following his controversial election victory in October.
Mozambique, already grappling with an armed conflict in Cabo Delgado, now faces a monumental task in the aftermath of Cyclone Chido—one of the most powerful storms to hit the region in recent memory. Rescue and recovery efforts are underway to provide aid to the survivors and assess the full extent of the damage.
