More than 120 deaths were reported in Mozambique and neighbouring Zimbabwe on Sunday after a tropical cyclone wreaked havoc on the South African nations. Cyclone Idai brought with it strong winds and flash floods, with officials in Mozambique saying at least 68 people had died.
According to the BBC, most of the deaths were around the city of Beira, which was one of the most affected areas. Homes were destroyed, and roofs were blown away in the high-speed winds. Aerial footage (above) from the city showed flooded streets and ravaged property.
Aid teams reached Beira on Saturday and a statement by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies called the scale of damage “massive and horrifying.” Jamie LeSueur, who led the IFRC assessment team, said, “The situation is terrible. The scale of devastation is enormous. It seems that 90 per cent of the area is completely destroyed.”
As of Monday evening, the road linking the city to the rest of Mozambique was damaged but air links had resumed. “Almost everything has been affected by the calamity,” Alberto Mondlane, the governor of Sofala province, which includes Beira, said on Sunday. “We have people currently suffering, some on top of trees and are badly in need of help.”
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