Cyclone Chido's Toll in Mozambique Rises to 75 Amid Ongoing Crisis

Cyclone Chido has left a trail of destruction in Mozambique, particularly in Cabo Delgado province, where the death toll has reached 75. The storm has exacerbated the plight of those already displaced by insurgent violence and climate challenges.

The death toll in Mozambique following the catastrophic impact of Cyclone Chido has surged to 75, as announced by the government on Friday, marking a near doubling of previously reported figures. The cyclone made landfall earlier this week in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, a region already grappling with challenges stemming from a prolonged insurgency linked to groups supported by the Islamic State.

According to the Mozambique National Institute for Natural Disasters, the cyclone specifically claimed at least 69 lives and left over 740 individuals injured. Many of these fatalities were recorded as rescue teams reached remote areas that had been isolated by the storm's destruction. In Mecufi district, where the majority of structures were devastated, conditions were described as "utter destruction" by Isadora Zoni, a reporting officer for the United Nations’ refugee agency.

Mozambique, one of the poorest nations in the world and highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, is frequently hit by severe storms originating from the southern Indian Ocean. Initial assessments revealed that Cyclone Chido caused substantial devastation to properties, where mud homes were completely washed away and wooden structures turned into mere debris.

The cyclone also inflicted severe damage on crucial health and education infrastructure, including a maternity health clinic that lost its corrugated-iron roof and a school that was reduced to ruins, leaving only crumpled textbooks behind.

In Cabo Delgado province, extensive displacement had already occurred due to ongoing insurgent violence. The storm impacted an estimated 10,000 individuals in tented camps in the Chiure district, according to Zoni, indicating that people already devastated by conflict are now facing additional hardships due to climate disasters.

Cyclone Chido exhibited wind speeds of 115 miles per hour, comparable to a Category 3 hurricane in the Atlantic. It also affected Mayotte, a French archipelago, leading to at least 31 recorded deaths, with fears of more casualties. After hitting Mozambique, the cyclone dissipated over Zimbabwe.

The United Nations Refugee Agency cautioned that the recent storm may herald the onset of a turbulent rainy season, a period historically known for cyclones and flooding in the region. The consequences of climatic instabilities have forced almost 140,000 individuals to abandon their homes in Mozambique over the past few years, highlighting the dire intersection of conflict and climate crisis faced by the nation.