Tropical Cyclone Chido: Impact and Response Update as of December 2024

Tropical Cyclone Chido has devastated Southern Africa, impacting over 274,000 people across Mozambique, Malawi, and the Comoros. Major damage includes 35,000 homes destroyed in Mozambique, with numerous fatalities reported. As Chido weakens, humanitarian teams are mobilizing for urgent assistance amidst ongoing assessments of extensive infrastructural damage and human suffering.

Tropical Cyclone Chido has caused significant devastation in Mozambique, Malawi, and the Comoros, affecting more than 274,000 people overall. In Mozambique alone, the cyclone made landfall on 15 December, with winds up to 260 km/h, resulting in 34 fatalities and severe infrastructural damage, including the destruction of approximately 35,000 homes. As Chido has weakened into a depression after passing over Tete Province, field teams are deployed to assist the victims and assess the ongoing damage.

In Malawi, the cyclone impacted 34,741 individuals, resulting in at least seven casualties. Similarly, in the Comoros, national mourning was declared for the victims, with 64,167 affected, primarily in Anjouan. The cyclone reached Mayotte with unprecedented intensity, claiming 21 lives, injuring 830, and displacing approximately 100,000 individuals. Both water and electrical supplies have been severely disrupted, complicating the response efforts.

As the cyclone continues to weaken, the Zimbabwe Meteorological Services Department has reported associated weather changes, forecasting thunderstorms from the moisture left by Chido. The ongoing situation highlights the dire need for humanitarian assistance and preventive measures against further flooding and landslides in the regions affected.

Overall, this disaster underscores the increasing impact of severe weather events in Southern Africa, necessitating comprehensive disaster preparedness and response strategies.

Tropical Cyclone Chido exemplifies the vulnerabilities faced by regions in Southern Africa susceptible to severe weather conditions. This cyclone developed in the Indian Ocean, quickly escalating from a tropical depression to a Category 4 cyclone before weakening. Such climatic events pose substantial risks to human life and infrastructure, particularly in areas like Mozambique and Mayotte, which have limited resources and disaster management capabilities. The repercussions of Chido are a sobering reminder of the need for robust international aid coordination and local resilience-building efforts to mitigate future disasters.

In summary, Tropical Cyclone Chido has inflicted extensive damage across Mozambique, Malawi, and the Comoros, affecting hundreds of thousands and highlighting the urgent need for humanitarian support. With fatalities reported and significant infrastructure destroyed, the ongoing assessments are crucial for effective response and assistance. This situation calls for enhanced regional cooperation and preparedness against the increasing frequency and intensity of severe weather events in Southern Africa.

Original Source: reliefweb.int