On the morning of Friday the 15 March 2019, the province of Manicaland in Zimbabwe was hit by Cyclone Idai, causing massive floods that destroyed houses, swept away fields, uprooted trees, and demolished bridges. Cyclone Idai has triggered a massive disaster in Southern Africa affecting hundreds of thousands of people, with widespread flooding and devastation affecting Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi. Cyclone Idai made landfall near the port city of Beira in Sofala province on Thursday with winds of up to 177 km/h (106 mph). In Zimbabwe, the government reported that 98 people have been killed and more than 200 missing as of today. Some rescuers said homes and bodies were washed away in the rivers to neighbouring Mozambique. At least 20,000 houses have been partially damaged in the south-eastern town of Chipinge, while 600 others were totally destroyed. The Government is struggling to cope with the huge influx of affected households as the country reels from economic problems. The affected households are now sheltered in churches and temporary structures set up by UN agencies. Several aid agencies are assisting government efforts in the search and rescue operations and in the distribution of food aid.
Zimbabwe: Cyclone Idai
