Still reeling from the passage of Cyclone Idai, Mozambique has been struck by another hurricane. Kenneth is classified as category 4 (out of a maximum of 5).
Just under a month after the devastating passage of Cyclone Idai, Mozambique has been forced to face another extreme weather event of exceptional scale. Hurricane Kenneth, classified as category 4 on a scale that goes up to 5, made landfall in the northern part of the African nation on the evening of Thursday 25 April.
With winds of more than 225 km/h, accompanied by gusts reaching up to 280 km/h, the cyclone is considered the most powerful in Mozambique's history. Reports from the affected areas speak of uprooted trees, overturned houses and blackouts. The damage is particularly severe and the first toll provided by local authorities also mentions at least one fatality.
The worst situation has been recorded on the island of Ibo, home to around six thousand inhabitants: here approximately 90 per cent of houses have been destroyed. According to local authorities, a further 15,000 people are currently without shelter. And the emergency reception centres that have been set up are already at capacity: tents, food and water are urgently needed.
On Wednesday, Cyclone Kenneth had already passed over the Comoros Islands, leaving behind three fatalities and widespread damage (as shown in the opening image of this article). According to experts, the hurricane encountered "favourable conditions for its development, particularly due to sea temperatures warmer than normal." It was therefore able to build up its strength, taking on "extremely rare characteristics" for the region.
The United Nations is particularly concerned about flooding and landslides in the province of Cabo Delgado, on the border with Tanzania. Here, extremely heavy rainfall has been battering the area since Wednesday. Forecasts indicate that the storm is expected to remain active for several days: rainfall accumulations could therefore reach and exceed 600 millimetres. That is nearly double the amount of rain that fell over ten days during the passage of Cyclone Idai, the UN World Food Programme has warned.
The Mozambican Institute for Disaster Management has specified that the number of people directly threatened by the weather event is around 700,000. The government has announced the deployment of rescue teams that have been operating for a month in the Beira region. "We have begun repositioning our resources. A helicopter is already on site," the institute's director Augusta Maita announced.
