Death toll from Cyclone Chido in Mozambique climbs to 120

The death toll from Cyclone Chido in Mozambique has risen to at least 120, authorities said on Tuesday.

The cyclone caused huge damage to the French territory of Mayotte before making landfall in Mozambique on December 15 with speeds of up to 240 kilometres per hour.

The country’s civil protection authority said on Facebook that 110 people died in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, while 868 people were injured nationwide.

In total, almost 688,000 people are thought to have been affected by the storm in Mozambique – more than twice as many as previously reported.

More than 150,000 houses were destroyed or damaged, as well as dozens of hospitals, schools, public buildings, radio masts and other infrastructure.

Aid organizations have provided emergency aid for tens of thousands, with President Filipe Nyusi promising support for those affected and rapid reconstruction.

In Mayotte, at least 35 people are confirmed to have died so far and 2,500 have been reported injured, but authorities have suggested that the number of casualties is likely to be in the hundreds, if not thousands.

Mozambique, with a population of around 35 million, is currently experiencing an economic downturn and a political crisis following a controversial election.

The province of Cabo Delgado, which was hardest hit by the cyclone, has also seen a deadly conflict in recent years with violent Islamists affiliated with the Islamic State terrorist group.

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