Mozambique: Meteorologists warn of possible formation offshore of tropical storm - Lusa
Photo: A Verdade
Cornelder de Moçambique (CdM), the concessionaire of the container and general cargo terminals of, in the centre of the country, on Friday (6-12) presented its action plan for the approach of Cyclone Idai and how it mitigated its impacts.
The presentation took place during a debate on climate change in the world and in Mozambique promoted by Absa Bank Moçambique, in partnership with Exame Magazine, and focusing on the anticipation, prevention and mitigation of the phenomena.
Through this debate under the motto “Climate Change: Anticipation, Prevention and Mitigation”, CdM managing director Jan de Vries said that his institution already had a contingency plan before Cyclone Idai struck, premised on the closure of the Port of Beira two days in advance in order to prepare facilities and secure equipment against the impact of the cyclone.
“For us, the key part is preparation. Cyclone Idai was a big challenge. The port is exposed to the wind and, being essential to the regional economy, safeguarding the terminal was very important. Our main concern was the protection of our 60-metre cranes, which weigh about 1,000 tons each. We made a huge effort, welding the structures down, and in the container park we reduced the pyramid shape [of the containers] to allow the wind to pass. We knew there was a possibility for the sea to come in, so we took all necessary precautions and even removed the communications networks. The day after [the cyclone hit], with the support of the workers, we were able to mitigate the impact and get the port back into operation in record time,” de Vries explained.
Jan de Vries also praised the state institutions that participated in the restoration of damaged infrastructure, such as roads and telecommunications lines.
“We acknowledge the Government’s effort to replace electricity and roads. They did an excellent job replacing equipment and getting the whole corridor flowing, thus avoiding an outflow of customers from the port of Beira. The port is now better prepared for the arrival of such weather systems, but we are continuing to study the resilience of equipment, and of warehouses in particular,” de Vries emphasised.
During the event an academic overview of long-term climate change and its implications for humans and their habitat was presented by Professor Barend Erasmus, renowned climate-change scientist and Dean in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (NAS) at the University of Pretoria, South Africa.
Leave a Reply
Be the First to Comment!
You must be logged in to post a comment.
You must be logged in to post a comment.