At least 34 people have been killed by Cyclone Chido in Mozambique since it made landfall there on Sunday, the UN humanitarian agency OCHA says, citing figures from the southern African country's disaster agency.
The small French island of Mayotte bore the brunt of the storm, and hundreds or even thousands are believed to have been killed there before it moved on to hit Mozambique on the eastern coast of southern Africa.
"As of 17 December 2024, a total of 174,158 people were estimated to be impacted, with 34 people dead and 319 injured," OCHA said in a statement on Tuesday, citing Mozambique's institute for natural disasters.
In Pemba, shelters accommodated displaced individuals while others started to rebuild their severely damaged properties.
A UNICEF spokesperson highlighted that communities might be isolated from schools and health services for weeks, and local authorities warned of a significant risk of landslides.
Cyclone season in the southwestern Indian Ocean runs from December to March, and southern Africa has recently experienced a series of powerful storms.
with EFE
