Current assessments show the storm destroyed or damaged over 35,000 homes, displaced thousands of families, and impacted more than 90,000 children, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.
Young boys look at the damage caused by Cyclone Chido.
The cyclone also tore through Nampula and Niassa provinces, leaving over 25,000 families without electricity and damaging two water facilities.
In a region already fighting a cholera outbreak, the latest devastation creates an ominous likelihood that the outbreak will further deteriorate, UNICEF added.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has experts on the ground in Cabo Delgado and Nampula provinces, supporting authorities to conduct health assessments to identify and address immediate needs.
Affected rural areas
Within the first 48 hours, UN refugee agency, UNHCR, provided aid to those in need in Pemba, where more than 2,600 people received emergency relief and essential items such as blankets, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, and emergency shelter supplies.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday in Geneva, UNCHR’s spokesperson Eujin Byun said that “while the full extent of the damage in rural areas remains unclear, preliminary assessments suggest that around 190,000 people urgently need humanitarian assistance, 33 schools have been affected and nearly 10,000 homes were destroyed. In some villages, very few houses remain standing”.
UN standing ready
Posting on X, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that UN teams in the region are helping deliver emergency assistance, and that the organization stands ready to provide additional support as needed.
According to the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, limited supplies are hampering the response. Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher has allocated $4 million to Mozambique in support of the early humanitarian response.
With nearly 3.3 million people projected to be in “crisis” or higher levels of food insecurity in Mozambique next year, the World Food Programme (WFP) added that the agency would be scaling up to help those most affected by the cyclone.
Other affected areas
Cyclone Chido also caused significant devastation in Mayotte, a French overseas territory, resulting in fatalities, infrastructure damage, and increased risks for vulnerable communities, including asylum-seekers and refugees, added UNHCR.
And in southern Malawi, the storm brought strong winds and rains leading to destruction of houses and infrastructure in several areas. The agency is actively monitoring the situation and coordinating with local partners.