Reuters
- Cyclone Idai hit Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi in March.
- Since then, at least 847 people have died in the disaster, and a cholera outbreak is threatening to kill more.
- Hundreds of thousands are displaced and trying to rebuild.
BEIRA, Mozambique (Reuters) – Hundreds of thousands of people are in need of food, water, and shelter after Cyclone Idai battered Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi.
As of Sunday, at least 847 people had been reported killed by the storm, the flooding it caused and heavy rains before it hit. Following is an outline of the disaster, according to government and United Nations officials.
Reporting by Emma Rumney and Stephen Eisenhammer in Beira, Tom Miles in Geneva, MacDonald Dzirutwe in Harare and Frank Phiri in Blantyre; Writing by Alexandra Zavis, Alexander Winning and Joe Bavier; Editing by Angus MacSwan and David Goodman
Mozambique
Associated Press
Cyclone Idai landed on the night of March 14 near the port city of Beira, bringing heavy winds and rains. Two major rivers, the Buzi and the Pungue, burst their banks, submerging entire villages and leaving bodies floating in the water.
People killed: 602
People injured: 1,641
Houses damaged or destroyed: 239,682
Crops damaged: 715,378 hectares
People affected: 1.85 million
Confirmed cholera cases: 2,424
Confirmed cholera deaths: 5
Zimbabwe
REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo
On March 16, the storm hit eastern Zimbabwe, where it flattened homes and flooded communities in the Chimanimani and Chipinge districts.
People killed: 185, according to government. The UN migration agency puts the death toll at 259.
People injured: 200
People displaced: 16,000 households
People affected: 250,000
Malawi
AMOS GUMULIRA/AFP/Getty Images
Before it arrived, the storm brought heavy rains and flooding to the lower Shire River districts of Chikwawa and Nsanje in Malawi’s south. The rains continued after the storm hit, compounding the misery of tens of thousands of people.
People killed: 60
People injured: 672
People displaced: 19,328 households
People affected: 868,895
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