At the heart of the recent tragedy in Mozambique, Cyclone Chido has left a devastating legacy of devastation and destruction. According to the country’s National Institute for Risk and Disaster Management, the weather phenomenon has claimed 94 lives since it hit last week. Of the survivors, 768 were injured and more than 622,000 were affected. The northern part of the country was particularly hard hit by the devastating hurricane.
On December 15, Cyclone Chido struck Mozambique with winds reaching 260 km/h and 250 mm of rainfall in just 24 hours. Initially making landfall in Cabo Delgado province, it then progressed towards the Niassa and Nampula regions, which are already familiar with cyclonic assaults.
The education and health sectors were hit hard by the storm. More than 109,000 students were affected, with schools suffering major damage. Similarly, 52 health facilities were rendered inoperable, depriving local populations of vital access to essential medical services in already fragile regions.
Before hitting Mozambique, Cyclone Chido had already hit Mayotte, a French territory in the Indian Ocean, where it caused the worst storm in 90 years. This dramatic situation highlights once again the devastating impact of climate change on already vulnerable regions.
At this time of mourning and reconstruction, international solidarity must be called for to provide concrete support to the populations affected by this disaster. It is imperative not only to rebuild damaged infrastructure, but also to strengthen capacities to prepare for and respond to future extreme weather events.
Cyclone Chido should not be seen as an isolated event, but as a warning signal of the urgent need to act on the climate crisis. The consequences of such destructive events only underscore the need for concerted and immediate action to protect the most vulnerable communities and prevent future tragedies of this kind.