The Zimbabwean government plans to deploy a team of pathologists to Mozambique in June to lead the exhumation and repatriation of more than 157 Zimbabweans swept away by Cyclone Idai floods in 2019, a senior official said on Monday.
Department of Civil Protection director Nathan Nkomo told state-run Herald daily that the Zimbabwean authorities could until now not go to Mozambique to repatriate the bodies as some diplomatic issues needed to be cleared.
“Only two months ago we had that Bi-National Commission with Mozambique and finally two weeks ago we were granted the permission to go to Sussundenga and start exhuming our 157 people who are still in Mozambique,” Nkomo said.
He said the reburial process was going to led by the Ministry of Health with assistance from the army and air force.
“I am happy the Ministry of Health and Child Care has put in place a team which will be led by pathologists.”
Thousands of people were killed in Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe in March 2019 by what was then touted as the worst cyclone to hit Africa.
JN/APA