Cyclone Kenneth: Storm-battered Mozambique hit again

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A powerful cyclone made landfall in northern Mozambique Thursday evening, barely a month after Cyclone Idai slammed into the country's center, leaving hundreds dead and at least three million people in need of humanitarian assistance.

The cyclone hit the north coast of Mozambique in Cabo Delgado province with gusts of up to 280 kilometers per hour and has already killed three people on the island nation of Comoros.

The UN warned of flash flooding and landslides. Some parts of the city are in darkness, and strong winds have felled trees and destroyed boats.

"The Cyclone is expected to bring heavy rains in the area for several days, with over 600 millimeters rainfall expected," the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said in a statement.

Strong winds fell trees, Cabo Delgado, Mozambique. /Reuters Photo

That volume of rain would be nearly double the 10 days of accumulated rainfall that caused flooding in Beira during Cyclone Idai.

Forecasters at Meteo-France warned that Kenneth could trigger waves off Mozambique's northeastern shore as much as five meters higher than usual.

Local journalist Jonas Wazir told AFP that he "noticed that some precarious houses had fallen down."

Wazir said the electricity supply in the city was down and strong winds were gusting since this afternoon.

The Red Cross warned it was "especially concerned" about the storm's impact, as many communities in Mozambique are still recovering from a cyclone that hit on the night of March 14 to 15.

The most powerful storm to strike the region in decades, Cyclone Idai cut a path of destruction through Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe. It left more than a thousand dead and causing damage estimated at around 2 billion U.S. dollars.

Shacks and trees were flattened in Moroni, the capital of Comoros, as Kenneth swung by, April 25, 2019. /AFP Photo

Kenneth passed by the Indian Ocean archipelago nation of Comoros on Thursday, battering it with high winds and heavy rains, the country's Meteorological Office wrote on Facebook.

"We must stay alert, avoid touching fallen power cables, wait for permission before driving and keep children at home," it said.

An AFP team in the Comoran capital Moroni saw shacks destroyed by the rain and wind, and high seas as a result of the cyclone.

"I have three children, one is small, just one month and 10 days (old). We were here until 11 p.m. last night when things deteriorated," local resident Abdillah Alaoui told AFP.

"It was our neighbors who evacuated us."

Tanzania concern

Flooded homes are seen after Cyclone Idai in Buzi district outside Beira, Mozambique, March 21, 2019. /Reuters Photo

Tanzanian authorities ordered schools and businesses shut in some southern districts on Thursday and urged people to brace for extreme winds and rain.

The Tanzanian provinces of Mtwara, Lindi and Ruvuma were at highest risk and could experience strong winds and downpours from the middle of Thursday, the country's meteorological agency said.

Residents in Mtwara were already leaving the coastal enclave with their families, some on foot, for emergency shelters, witnesses told AFP by phone.

Gelasius Byakanwa, the governor of Mtwara, ordered schools closed in his province and asked "students to stay home and employees not to go to their offices."

A town in central Mozambique was ravaged by huge floods caused by Cyclone Idai last month. /AFP Photo

However, he called on medical staff, police and utility workers to remain on duty.

"This storm will hit the north and we are expecting that heavy rain will provoke flash floods and landslides impacting the northeastern provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula," the WFP said in a statement earlier.

"WFP is working under government coordination and with other humanitarians on an emergency preparedness plan."

(Cover image: Tropical Cyclone Kenneth approaches the coast of Mozambique, April 25, 2019. /NASA Photo)

Source(s): AFP