The death toll from Cyclone Chido in Mozambique has climbed to 45, as confirmed by the National Institute of Risk and Disaster Management (INGD) on Wednesday, with thousands displaced and widespread destruction Daily Post Nigeria reported.
Cyclone Chido struck northern Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province on Sunday with devastating winds of 260 kilometers per hour and torrential rains totaling 250 millimeters in just 24 hours. The storm caused 38 deaths in Cabo Delgado, four in Nampula province, and three in Niassa province. One person remains missing, while nearly 500 others sustained injuries.
The cyclone left a trail of destruction, destroying 24,000 homes and partially damaging another 12,300. More than 181,000 people have been directly affected, many of whom were already living in vulnerable conditions due to ongoing conflict and underdevelopment in the region.
“This is a devastating blow to a region that was already struggling,” said an INGD representative. “Our priority now is to provide immediate relief to those affected while assessing the full extent of the damage.”
Emergency teams are working tirelessly to provide shelter, food, and medical aid to survivors. The INGD is coordinating efforts with local authorities and international partners to assist displaced families and restore essential services.
“This level of destruction calls for global solidarity,” said a humanitarian official in Mozambique. “We need immediate support to prevent further suffering and loss of life.”
Before reaching Mozambique, Cyclone Chido tore through Mayotte, a small island in the Indian Ocean. Although official casualty figures are not yet available, early estimates suggest potentially catastrophic losses, with fears that hundreds or even thousands of people may have been killed.
Mozambique, a country frequently battered by natural disasters, faces an uphill battle to recover. Cyclone Chido is the latest reminder of the urgent need to invest in disaster preparedness and resilient infrastructure in vulnerable regions.
“Cyclone Chido has shown us the critical importance of better planning and infrastructure to withstand such disasters,” said an environmental expert in Maputo. “This must be a wake-up call for long-term solutions.”