Cyclone Kenneth: latest updates
26 April 2019
Cyclone Kenneth, Mozambique's strongest ever cyclone, hit the southern African country barely a month after Cyclone Idai caused death and mass destruction. Cyclone Kenneth has killed 38 people so far and destroyed buildings in the province of Cabo Delgado. Find out key facts about the disaster as it unfolds.
Cyclone Kenneth was Mozambique's strongest ever cyclone. Photo: ActionAid
Latest update on Cyclone Kenneth: Tuesday 30 April 2019
Heavy rainfall continues to cause severe flooding in Mozambique after Cyclone Kenneth made landfall in Calbo Delgado province in the northern part of the country. ActionAid Mozambique, who responded to the crisis after Cyclone Idai, are present in affected areas and are assessing the need to respond.
A life-threatening storm surge of 3-5 meters (10-16 feet) occurred along the coast, with nearby areas now facing severe flooding. So far, the districts of Ibo, Quissanga and Macomia are the worst affected. In Macomia alone, 38 people are currently known to have been killed, more than 1600 homes destroyed and thousands are stranded as the Muagamula river has cut off access.
ActionAid is present in Mueda, Chiure, Metuge and Pemba districts which have been badly affected by Cyclone Kenneth and an emergency response team is assessing the situation.
Gaspar Sitefane, ActionAid’s Country Director in Mozambique told us:
Heavy rain is continuing to cause havoc in coastal Mozambique following Cyclone Kenneth, with many people still stranded and waiting for rescue. Roads are cut off with rivers flooding and sanitation services have been wiped out, which is an enormous risk to public health. Thousands of people that survived Cyclone Idai contracted cholera which is deadly in conditions where people lose everything, including access to clean water. We are extremely concerned this will happen again, only worse.
Houses and pavements destroyed after Cyclone Kenneth. Photo: ActionAid
Cyclone Kenneth: what has happened?
Just five weeks after Cyclone Idai, Mozambique has been hit with another cyclone on Thursday 25th April 2019. This is the strongest ever cyclone to hit the southern African country with winds measuring at 140mph.
Strong winds have hit the Calbo Delgado province and already killed three people on the island nation of Comoros.
There is a threat of extreme rainfall and more flooding, and some parts of the province have lost their power supply.
Prior to Cyclone Kenneth, Cyclone Idai had already caused widespread destruction in Mozambique along with the neighbouring Zimbabwe and Malawi. It affected over two million people, including 1.85 million in Mozambique - the worst hit country. More than 1,000 people have lost their lives so far in the three countries and over 400,000 people have been left without a home and are living in schools and churches. An estimated 4,000 cases of cholera have already been reported especially in Mozambique.
The full scale of the new disaster has yet to become clear as search and rescue operations continue.
Where is the cyclone?
The cyclone hit the nothern province of Cabo Delgado in Mozambique. The landfall is approximately 1,000km/600miles (NNE) of where Cyclone Idai landed. That is twice the distance between London and Edinbugh.
What is ActionAid doing in Mozambique?
As we continue to assess the need in the north of the country after Cyclone Kenneth, ActionAid is still working in other areas of Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe after the destruction caused by Cyclone Idai. We are distributing relief items including hygiene kits, aqua-tablets for water purification, water containers, blankets, clothes, food and tents.
To support ActionAid's life-saving work in emergencies, please give a gift to our Emergencies Action Fund.
