Cyclone Kenneth kills 38 in Mozambique

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - At least 38 people have been killed in northern Mozambique from Cyclone Kenneth, the National Institute of Disaster Management said Monday.

The cyclone made landfall last Thursday with maximum sustained winds of 220 kilometers per hour (136 mph). According to preliminary estimates from the institute, 39 people have been injured, more than 23,000 are without shelter and around 35,000 homes have been partly or totally destroyed.

Aid agencies say the cyclone has caused heavy torrential rains, leading to flooding in parts of the north coast.

Kenneth is the second cyclone to hit Mozambique barely six weeks after Cyclone Idai struck, killing nearly 1,000 people across Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi.

"Both cyclones have shattered families and destroyed livelihoods. The loss of life is devastating. Those who were already living on the brink of poverty have now been left with nothing. With donations dwindling, we're facing a critical situation,” UK charity Save the Children said Monday in a statement.

The charity appealed to the international community to commit additional resources to the emergency relief.

“The humanitarian response to Cyclone Idai is still largely underfunded. With Cyclone Kenneth more catastrophic than expected, Mozambique will require more resources for immediate life-saving relief and recovery,” it said.

Cyclone Kenneth passed over the Comoros Islands before hitting Mozambique.

The United Nations said it will grant Mozambique and the Comoros $13 million in emergency funds to help provide food and water and repair the damage to infrastructure.