Cyclone Kenneth hits Mozambique, 30,000 evacuated, made historic landfall

Friday, April 26, 2019

CyclonAfter being devastated by Cyclone Idai, a powerful tropical Cyclone Kenneth has made a landfall in Mozambique. There people are already dead on the island nation of Comoros by the cyclone bringing 220 km/h (140mph) winds.

On Thursday evening on the north coast of Mozambique, Kenneth made landfall having wind speeds equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane.

As it moves inland it is expected to weaken and according to Paulo Tomas, INGC spokesman a ‘compulsory evacuation’ of families was underway and will continue until all the people are in secure ground.

So far, according to the Mozambique’s National Institute of Disaster Management (INGC), 30,000 people had been evacuated. Cyclone Idai had hit the region last month causing  hundreds of death.

In Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe more than 900 people died due to the storm.

Around three million people were left in need of humanitarian assistance here.

The cyclone is expected to affect more than 680,000 people , flights were already cancelled and schools were closed.

According to forecasters the cyclone will be slow-moving and heavy rain will fall on the area for several days.

The UN predicts that over 600mm (23.6 inches) of rain may come which is almost double the 10-day accumulated rainfall that caused flooding in the port city of Beira which was further south  during Cyclone Idai.

Kenneth could trigger waves up five metres (16 feet) higher than the usual off the country’s northeastern shores.

Department of Civil Protection director Nathan Nkomo said that for Cyclone Kenneth  they cannot take chances anymore after drawing lessons from Cyclone Idai.

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• Cyclone Idai hits Mozambique, Zimbabwe; 120+ dead