Cyclone Gombe: Death toll jumps by 31 as teams reach Lunda, Mossuril – photos

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Cyclone Gombe: Death toll jumps by 31 as teams reach Lunda, Mossuril – photos

12:03 CAT | 17 Mar 2022

All photos: Conselho dos Serviços Provinciais de Representação do Estado - Nampula

The number of deaths caused by Tropical Cyclone Gombe in Nampula has risen to 53, according to information shared yesterday evening by the Secretary of State in the province, Mety Gondola.

Thirty-one deaths were confirmed yesterday at the administrative post of Lunga, in Mossuril district, a region still isolated from the rest of the province by the destruction of access roads.

Mety Gondola, who yesterday managed to reach Lunga by boat, described the situation as dramatic, adding that local authorities are working to determine the actual number of victims.

“Unfortunately, we bear the information that 31 deaths were registered here (Lunga). Twenty of the dead have been identified, with the remaining 11 still to be accounted for,” Gondola said.

Gondola said that families who lost their loved ones were “shattered”.

Government authorities believe that the number of fatalities could be even higher, as rescue operations are still underway and assessment of the damages caused by the cyclone continues, particularly in the worst-affected districts, namely Mogincual, Ilha de Moçambique, Monapo and Mossuril.

According to the INGD, by Wednesday, the number of people affected by Cyclone Gombe stood at 400,175, corresponding to 77,279 families, while the number of houses partially or totally destroyed was 74,952, with 2,137 submerged.

The same INGD report indicated the destruction of 41 health units, 691 classrooms in 301 schools at different levels of education, affecting 75,607 students and 1,221 teachers. It was also reported that 2,714 energy transport poles and 10 transformer posts had been knocked down.

Five bridges were destroyed and five roads totalling 707 kilometres in length affected.

In the water sector, 12 small supply systems were destroyed, while in fisheries there are records of 102 vessels and 23 items of fishing gear destroyed.

Nampula province currently has 26 temporary shelters accommodating 14,843 people. The cyclone also hit neighbouring Zambézia province, destroying roads and bridges there.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Gombe made landfall over the coastal area of central Nampula province in the early hours of 11 March (Friday), with winds up to 190km/h and rains up to 200mm/24h.