Maputo, Dec 22 (NationPress) The number of fatalities from Cyclone Chido, a formidable tropical cyclone that impacted northern Mozambique last weekend, has surged to 94. The injured count has also escalated to 768, according to recent information from the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD).
The cyclone made landfall on December 15, bringing with it intense rainfall and storms that wreaked havoc across Cabo Delgado, Nampula, and Niassa provinces. Over 123,000 families, translating to approximately 622,610 individuals, have been impacted, with more than 140,000 homes either partially or entirely destroyed, as reported by the national disaster relief agency.
The report also emphasized the considerable damage to public infrastructure, including 250 schools, 89 public buildings, and 52 health facilities. Additionally, vast agricultural lands were flooded, exacerbating the region's existing vulnerabilities.
In response to the disaster, the INGD has set up two accommodation centers, currently sheltering 1,349 individuals. Nevertheless, the extent of the devastation presents formidable challenges for recovery and humanitarian aid, as noted by Xinhua news agency.
During a televised address from the Presidential Palace on Thursday evening, President Filipe Nyusi declared a two-day national mourning period and expressed his condolences to the victims' families and those impacted by this disaster.
Both local authorities and international humanitarian organizations are continuing to call for assistance to meet the urgent needs of the affected communities.
Cyclone Chido is classified as a tropical depression, characterized by a region of low atmospheric pressure over an ocean, accompanied by a circular wind pattern caused by thunderstorms. These systems display maximum sustained wind speeds of 61 km/h or less.
If a tropical depression intensifies, it can develop into a tropical storm, which is defined by wind speeds of 62 km/h to 119 km/h. Systems with winds exceeding this threshold are categorized as tropical cyclones.
The terminology associated with these systems can be somewhat perplexing. In the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, and northeastern Pacific Ocean, tropical cyclones are termed hurricanes. In contrast, they are referred to as typhoons in the western Pacific Ocean, while in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean, they are simply called cyclones.
