Agric Editor
Cyclone Eloise, which battered Southern Africa, left 15 people dead, scores injured and crops and infrastructural damage running into thousands of dollars as governments in the region release data of the impact of the tropical storm.
The tropical cyclone hit Mozambique a few days ago, bringing rain and powerful winds of around 130 kilometres per hour.
The latest update on Wednesday last week from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) show that the cyclone, which barrelled through eastern part of the region left 15 people dead — seven in Mozambique, three in Zimbabwe, two in Eswatini, two in South Africa and one in Madagascar, affecting at least 265 000 people across the region.
In Mozambique, where Tropical Cyclone Eloise made landfall on January 23, it left seven people dead, 12 injured and affected more than 262 216 others mainly in Buzi, Dondo, Nhamatanda and Beira City.
About 15 930 people remain displaced by flooding in affected areas, according to the National Institute for Disaster Management and Risk Reduction report and more than 19 393 houses were destroyed, damaged or flooded mainly in Sofala Province.
At least 424 classrooms and 82 health centres will need repairs.
The UN agency said rapid humanitarian needs assessments are ongoing to obtain a fuller picture of the situation and these figures may change in the days ahead in Mozambique.
“Tropical Cyclone Eloise has compounded the needs of at least 8 755 families who were living in 70 resettlement sites established after Cyclone Idai nearly two years ago, according to a rapid assessment carried out by IOM in collaboration with INGD,” the agency said.
The risk of riverine flooding still remains high along the Buzi, Pungwe and Singussi rivers in Sofala Province, while disaster risk experts warn of a potential for flooding along the Limpopo River in the coming days, potentially affecting around 16 000 people.
“It remains possible that dam releases, including in Zimbabwe, could impact river levels and flooding in Mozambique. Given the presence of flood waters, the risk of water-borne and vector-borne diseases is a significant concern,” the UN OCHA said.
In Zimbabwe, which was the second most affected country, the tropical storm left 3 people dead and least 10 others injured.
Civil Protection Unit preliminary estimates show that more than 20 houses were damaged while several roads and bridges were damaged in Zimbabwe.
In Masvingo Province, more than 400 households have been affected by heavy rain in — Gutu District (33 households), Chiredzi District (8 households) and Zaka’s Rural District (368 households).
The District Civil Protection Unit (DCP) has reported to IOM that the dams in Gutu District have reached full capacity and there is a risk of flooding.
In Bikita district of Masvingo Province, the District Development Coordinator has reported that preliminary findings from the concluded assessments highlight water and sanitation as serious concerns, with people reportedly drinking unsafe water after boreholes were swept away or flooded by heavy rains.
Nutrition and food concerns were also noted, including reports that some mothers have stopped breastfeeding.
In wards 1, 2 and 3 of the district, 10 houses were damaged and blankets, mosquito nets, solar pumps, hygiene supplies, and jerry cans were requested.
In Beitbridge, Matabeleland South Province, the DCP is assessing needs.
The Tugwi-Mukosi Dam is now spilling and could impact livelihoods of people downstream.
Schools and clinics and other critical infrastructure was also damaged in various parts of Zimbabwe.
Figures on the extent of the damage caused by the cyclone could rise as the full extent of the damage becomes known.
However, the extent of the damage is unlike to surpass that of Cyclone Idai of 2019.
It’s the same areas that were hit by Tropical Storm Chalane three weeks ago and devastated by Cyclone Idai less than two years ago in both Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
Since its landfall, the Eloise weather system weakened into an overland depression and moved towards South Africa, bringing heavy rainfall to the far north of the country, as well as to southern Zimbabwe and eastern Botswana.
In Mozambique, Tropical Cyclone Eloise caused damage and flooding and left roads impassable in parts of Sofala, Zambezia, Inhambane and Manica provinces.
More than 142 000 hectares of crops have been flooded, which could affect the food security of the majority of people this year, according preliminary information from the National Institute for Disaster Management and Risk Reduction (INGD).
Sofala province has been hardest hit, especially in Buzi, Dondo and Nhamatanda districts and Beira City, according to INGD.
“All of these numbers are, however, preliminary and could rise in the days ahead as further information becomes available on the full extent of the damage caused by Eloise,” according to OCHA.
“Many of the areas hit by Eloise were devastated by Tropical Cyclone Idai less than two years ago. With many people still recovering from the losses and trauma caused by Idai, psychosocial support will be critical during the response to Eloise.”
In Zimbabwe, heavy rains caused flooding, mudslides and destruction of infrastructure in Manicaland, Mashonaland East and Mashonaland Central, Matabeleland South and Masvingo provinces since 23 January, according to the Government’s Meteorological Services Department (MSD).
In Manicaland, at least three people reportedly died in Chipinge District, after they were swept away by floodwater that destroyed about 15 houses in Gumiro Village. The heavy rains also caused a mudslide in Chipinge and Tanganda, with large boulders blocking some roads, and damages to at least three schools across the province.
The Watershed, Bangazzan and Mutakura dams are at their alert levels and could spill and cause flooding downstream.
In Harare, 34 families have been evacuated to two high schools in Budiriro and are in need of food, hygiene kits, blankets, and other non-food items.
Chitungwiza has also been seen some houses, especially those built in wetlands, being affected by flooding.
South Africa, Eswatini and Madagascar also reported flooding and deaths.
For South Africa, there were no major negative impacts from the storm and also no much impact on its major power transmission line infrastructure between the country and Mozambique.
Cyclone Eloise brought heavy rains and strong winds in that country’s Lowveld areas of Limpopo, Mpumalanga, as well as northern parts of Limpopo.
In Botswana, there were still major reports of damage as the country issued alerts of heavy rains, strong winds and localized flooding over the eastern parts of the country.
Humanitarian agencies were moving in to support affected people in Mozambique and parts of Zimbabwe where the storm had its biggest impact.
However, the response by governments and humanitarian partners was being hampered by damaged roads and bridges.
Tropical Cyclone Idai, the worst in more than 50 years, brought heavy rainfall and strong winds to Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe between March 5 and 19, 2019, causing severe flooding which led to loss of lives, destruction of infrastructure, disruption of livelihoods and destruction of crops.
It is estimated that close to 780 000 hectares of croplands in the three countries were destroyed by the cyclone, with the majority of this area being in Mozambique.
Dams and wells were also damaged, and livestock were washed away. SADC launched a US$323 million appeal to support the disaster response and recovery efforts related to Tropical Cyclone Idai impacts.