from ARMANDO DOMINGOS in Maputo, Mozambique
Mozambique Bureau
MAPUTO, (CAJ News) – THE death toll from the Tropical Cyclone Gombe in Mozambique has risen to 20.
At least 82 people have been injured in the worst affected provinces of the northeastern Nampula and central-coastal Zambezia.
According to the latest information released by the National Institute for Disaster Management and Risk Reduction (INGD), Gombe has affected 400 175 people (or 77 279 families).
Since making landfall on March 11, the cyclone Gombe has displaced at least 23 994 people.
Gombe also completely destroyed 45 079 houses and severely damaged 41 health centers, 691 classrooms (affecting 75 607 students), 2 741 electricity poles, and 707 km of roads.
“These figures are preliminary and are likely to increase further as needs and damage assessments have not been completed,” said a spokesperson of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The World Food Programme reported that some centres housing displaced people were currently only accessible by motorcycle and on foot while others remain inaccessible.
Local authorities said the main humanitarian needs include food, shelter, education, health and sanitation.
With rains up to 200mm/day and winds up to 190km/h, Gombe followed the passages of Tropical Storm Ana, Tropical Depression Dumako and cyclone Batsirai, which had hit Mozambique in January and February respectively.
These affected more than 200 000 people.
The impoverished Southern African country of over 32 million people is prone to climatic disasters, including the Cyclone Idai, which claimed 602 lives in 2019.
Cyclone Eline, in 2000, was the worst, killing around 800 people.
– CAJ News