Mozambique: Gombe death toll over 50 – AIM report

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Mozambique: Gombe death toll over 50 – AIM report

9:00 CAT | 22 Mar 2022

File photo: Lusa

At least 53 people died and over 75,000 houses were destroyed or damaged, according to the preliminary results issued by the Emergency Operational Committee (COE), seven days after the devastating tropical cyclone “Gombe” hit the northern Mozambican province of Nampula.

The Nampula delegate of the Mozambican relief agency, the National Disaster Management Institute (INGD), Alberto Armando, said the number of affected people is on the rise and the authorities are now concerned with the delivery of humanitarian assistance, but also seeking immediate solutions for those who have been provisionally sheltered in various schools.

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

“We are seeking immediate alternatives so that displaced people can leave the schools and thus enable classes to resume”, said Amando. The situation, he added, was similar to that in the central province of Sofala, when it was hit by cyclone IDAI in March 2019. He believed there were lessons from Sofala “that can be adjusted to our reality”.

The authorities, Armando said, are taking into account a prospective use of temporary shelter kits to be handed out to the affected households currently in the settlement centres, in order to ensure they can return to their original homes.

“Remember that most of the affected people lived on higher ground, but the cyclone caused strong winds and heavy rain which devastated their houses,” he declared, adding that presently there are 11,533 people hosted in 33 transit centres in the districts of Monapo, Meconta, Mozambique Island and Mogincual.

The people housed in the centres are benefiting from assistance in drinking water, health care, food and sanitation. “We are also looking after those who are not sheltered in centres, but in critical spots, such as the administrative post of Lunga, in Mossuril district, that now can only be accessed by sea.

The cyclone destroyed 29,556 hectares of various crops in the districts of Monapo and Rapale. Livestock breeders also regret the loss of cows, goats, pigs and 4,500 chickens.

Local fishermen reported the loss of 133 fishing vessels and five water reservoirs were destroyed.

Source: AIM