Mozambique found itself in the grip of a fierce natural disaster on Sunday as Cyclone Chido made landfall, inflicting significant damage on infrastructure in the Cabo Delgado and Nampula provinces.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that Cabo Delgado province had been hit hard, with early visuals from the provincial capital Pemba showcasing the devastation – fallen trees, damaged homes and inundated streets.
“While we are doing everything we can, additional support is urgently needed,” UNICEF said in a statement.
The UN agency warned that communities faced the prospect of being cut off from schools and health facilities for weeks.
Neighbouring countries like Malawi and Zimbabwe are bracing for potential flooding and evacuation scenarios.
The cyclone had earlier left a trail of destruction in the Indian Ocean island of Mayotte at the weekend, with at least 11 people feared dead.
JN/APA