Death toll from Cyclone Chido in Mozambique rises to 94

Maputo, Dec 22 The death toll from Cyclone Chido, a powerful tropical cyclone that struck northern Mozambique last weekend, has climbed to 94, while the number of injured has risen to 768, according to the latest update from the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD).

The cyclone, which made landfall on December 15 with devastating downpours and storms, caused widespread destruction in Cabo Delgado, Nampula, and Niassa provinces. More than 123,000 families, equivalent to 622,610 people, have been affected, and more than 140,000 houses were partly or completely destroyed, the national disaster relief agency noted.

The report also highlighted severe impacts on public infrastructure, with 250 schools, 89 public buildings, and 52 health units damaged. Additionally, vast agricultural areas were inundated, compounding the region's vulnerabilities.

To aid the victims, the INGD has established two accommodation centres, currently housing 1,349 people. However, the scope of the destruction poses significant challenges for recovery and humanitarian assistance, Xinhua news agency reported.

In a televised speech from the Presidential Palace on Thursday night, President Filipe Nyusi announced the decree of two-day national mourning, sending his condolences to the families of the victims and to those affected by the calamity.

Authorities and international humanitarian organisations continue to appeal for support to address the urgent needs of affected communities.

Cyclone Chido is a tropical depression, characterised by a region of low atmospheric pressure over an ocean, accompanied by a circular wind pattern generated by thunderstorms. These systems exhibit maximum sustained wind speeds of 61 km/h or lower.

Should a tropical depression strengthen, it can evolve into a tropical storm, which is defined by wind speeds ranging from 62 km/h to 119 km/h. Winds exceeding this threshold classify the system as a tropical cyclone.

The terminology surrounding these systems can be somewhat confusing. In the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, and northeastern Pacific Ocean, tropical cyclones are referred to as hurricanes. Conversely, in the western Pacific Ocean, they are known as typhoons, while in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean, the term cyclone is used.