Flood tragedy ‘one of the worst ever’
A CYCLONE that hit south-east Africa could become one of the worst weather disasters ever to have hit the southern hemisphere.
At least 238 people have been killed and 400,000 left homeless by Cyclone Idai. Filipe Nyusi, president of Mozambique, said the death toll in his country alone could reach 1,000.
The cyclone caused rising floods in Zimbabwe and Malawi and created ‘an inland ocean’ in Mozambique, endangering tens of thousands of families.
It hit the port city of Beira on Thursday at up to 106mph, deluging uplands with immense amounts of water that is now flooding populated areas.
Machiel Pouw, of Save The Children, said: ‘The assessment emerging today is chilling. Thousands of children lived
in areas completely engulfed by water. In many places, no roofs or tree tops are even visible above the floods.’
Aid workers are trying to rescue victims from trees and rooftops.
Experts described it as the region’s most destructive flooding in 20 years – but things are likely to get worse, with heavy rain expected throughout today and tomorrow.
Herve Verhoosel, of the World Food Programme, said: ‘This is a major humanitarian emergency that is getting bigger by the hour.’
Red Cross spokesman Matthew Cochrane added: ‘The full horror is going to emerge over coming days.’