At least 200 people have been killed due to Cyclone Idai in Mozambique and another 100 in neighboring Zimbabwe. The toll is feared to rise.
Those who have survived are in desperate need of food, clothing and shelter. They have little reprive to mourn loss of loved ones.
Meanwhile, Indian navy and South African air force have arrived in the port city of Beira, which is hard hit, to support the Mozambican national institute of disaster management (INGC) in rescue and search missions.
Heavy rains are still a major obstacle in the rescue work and it is predicted the floodwaters could rise. This mean more people will die if not rescued.
According to a warning by the Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi the waves could rise as high as eight meters.
The international search and rescue advisory group is put on alert even though its members are more experienced with earthquakes. The UN’s food agency is being seen distributing emergency biscuits.
Satellite images reveal at least 400 square kilometers are flooded and in some places the waters is even six metres deep.
UN aid agency OCHA said about 600,000 people is affected from the Cyclone Idai. UN estimated initially the country need about $40.8m for life-saving operation. Appeal has been made to donors to help one of the poorest countries in the world as they cannot afford the required money.
Meanwhile, Mozambique has declared three days of mourning. The president said, “We are in an extremely difficult situation.”
