A ferocious cyclone has claimed the lives of at least 94 people in Mozambique, compounding the challenges already faced by communities in one of Africa’s most disaster-prone regions. The cyclone, packing winds of up to 260 km/h and bringing 250 millimeters of rainfall within its first day, made landfall on December 15. Local disaster management officials report that over 700 individuals sustained injuries, and more than 600,000 people were affected to varying degrees.
The storm initially struck the northeastern province of Cabo Delgado before moving inland to Niassa and Nampula. Beyond the immediate devastation, educational and health services have suffered considerable setbacks, with tens of thousands of students displaced due to damaged infrastructure. At least 52 healthcare facilities sustained extensive harm, creating additional concerns about access to essential medical services in regions already grappling with limited resources.
Authorities are now mobilizing support across multiple levels to help the hardest-hit districts recover. While workers race to restore basic amenities such as running water and electricity, local leaders stress that these repair efforts must go hand in hand with improved disaster preparedness. They emphasize the urgent need to strengthen the resilience of schools, hospitals, and other public buildings to safeguard against future weather extremes.
This cyclone had already caused havoc on other parts of the region, including nearby archipelagos, before barreling through Mozambique. Experts point out that the storm’s intensity may reflect wider patterns linked to global climate shifts, which can generate stronger and more frequent severe weather events. As communities rally to restore normalcy, the call for long-term strategies to mitigate the impact of such storms grows louder.