A repeat disaster: Mozambique pushed to brink by cyclone
Cyclone Kenneth stands to bring further destruction to a nation still reeling from a storm that made landfall in March.
After one of the worst weather caused humanitarian disasters in southern hemisphere history, another strong cyclone is barrelling towards the northern coast of Mozambique. Cyclone Kenneth, a formidable storm expected to make landfall in Mozambique on Thursday, is drawing significant parallels to Cyclone Idai, which caused catastropic damage across the region in March.
A LOOK BACK AT CYCLONE IDAI
Here's a breakdown of Cyclone Idai, by the numbers:
1+ billion dollars in damage
3 million people impacted
2000+ people missing
1000+ fatalities
280 km/h: maximum gust
17 days: Number of days as a cyclone
Look at the startling before and after images from Cyclone Idai, which left parts of Biera in shambles, including surrounding towns in central Mozambique.
BEFORE
AFTER
It gets worse.
Standing water is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and water-borne illnesses. With Idai, disease outbreaks have become common with a significant outbreak of cholera. The Red Cross has highlighted this significant risk of an outbreak as a 'ticking bomb' that has to be addressed promptly.
ALL EYES ON CYCLONE KENNETH
Although Cyclone Kenneth's winds are expected to be damaging, the focus is on the torrential rains that will migrate over the region for several days.
A stalling cyclone is a worst-case scenario, as tropical moisture is wrung out like a sponge over a region that is incredibly susceptible to such flooding events.