Southern Africa: Cyclone Chido Makes Landfall in Cabo Delgado With Destructive Winds, Heavy Rainfall

Tropical Cyclone Chido made landfall around 6am on Sunday, December 15, on the coast of Mozambique as a category 4 cyclone, about 35-40km south of Pemba city in Cabo Delgado Province, located in the northern region. The cyclone remained an intense tropical storm, characterized by destructive winds reaching 260km per hour, heavy rainfall of 250mm within 24 hours, and extremely dangerous sea conditions that posed a significant risk of coastal submersion.

The cyclone mainly impacted the provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula, specifically affecting the areas of Mecufi, Metuge, Ancamuabe, Meluco, Ilha de Ibo, Quissanga, Pemba city, Memba, Nacala, Nacala Velha, Mossuril, Mongicual, Mozambique Island, Monapo, Meconta, Nacaroa, Erati, Muccate, and Nampula city. By 9am on Sunday, Nampula officials reported damage to houses, though this is not yet fully verified. In Pemba, mobile networks were down, but electricity remained on in some areas.

The Humanitarian and Emergency Operations Centre (SHOC) of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) warned that the intense winds could severely damage or destroy buildings, uproot trees, and compromise infrastructure, including power lines. The provinces of Niassa, Tete, and Zambezia were also expected to be impacted later in the day, and residents were advised to monitor weather conditions closely via their national weather service.

Unicef is assessing the impact "on the ground" in Cabo Delgado, working to respond to the immediate needs of the children and families hit hard by Cyclone Chido, said Mary-Louise Eagleton, UNICEF Mozambique Representative .

" Unicef will be delivering lifesaving medicines, water purification supplies, and other essentials to keep people safe and healthy. Many homes, schools, and health facilities have been partially or completely destroyed and we are working closely with Government to ensure continuity of essential basic services. While we are doing everything we can, additional support is urgently needed to respond to the urgent needs of those impacted by the cyclone," Eagleton said.

The cyclone's remnants were projected to affect southern Malawi from December 15 to 16, bringing heavy rainfall of 100mm and strong winds ranging from 80 to 100km per hour. The system was expected to gradually dissipate near Zimbabwe on Tuesday, December 17.

On December 14, Chido passed close to the southern regions of the Comoros islands, including Anjouan, Moheli, and Ngazidja, with wind conditions less severe than those experienced in Mayotte.

On Anjouan island, preliminary reports indicated two people were injured, five households were displaced, and multiple infrastructures were affected by limited flooding. The affected individuals were relocated to host families and displacement centers, while on Moheli island, only crop destruction was reported.

This article was originally published in AllAfrica.