Mozambique update: Cyclone Favio adds to woes
23/02/2007
Cyclone Favio struck the coast of Mozambique early on Friday morning, trailing heavy rains and high winds of about 200km per hour and bringing the ports, cities and small communities along the East African country’s southern coast to a standstill.
The grade four cyclone hit land in the tourist centre of Vilankulos in Inhambane province with powerful winds and torrential rain causing severe damage to the town. The Mayor of Inhambane, Snr Lourenco, confirmed to SOS Children that Vilankulos had experienced severe damage, with the roof of the local hospital being torn off and several houses and office buildings also being damaged. He also spoke of three fatalities that he was aware of as a direct cause of the cyclone in Vilankulos town.
The Mayor was, however, able to confirm that the town of Inhambane, where the fourth SOS Children’s Village in Mozambique is situated and 280km from Vilankulos, despite being buffeted by strong winds and heavy rain has not been badly damaged.
The first children will move into the new village in Inhambane during the first half of this year and is almost complete. Furniture for the village is due to arrive within the next month and it is not expected that the effects of the cyclone will delay this.
The cyclone is also expected to affect the provinces of Sofala and Gaza as it tracks northward before turning inland. Damage to other inhabited areas along this pathway are not expected to suffer to the same extent as when the cyclone first hit land as the winds and rain will slowly dissipate. Despite this, warnings are still in force in areas such as Tete, home to another SOS Children’s Village, as the area is already suffering floods from the amount of water in the Zambezi River, although these levels are now reported to be receding.
SOS Children’s Village Maputo has reported cloud, heavy rain, but no wind, while SOS Children’s Village Pemba reports stiff winds and squalls of rain. Neither village has reported any damage, or expects the cyclone to affect them too severly.
Relevant Countries: Mozambique.