Mozambican cyclone death toll could rise drastically, Red Cross says
The official death count in Mozambique stands at 84, but President Filipe Nyusi estimates that more than 1,000 people may have died
The number of people killed in Mozambique by powerful storms and floods across southeastern Africa is likely to rise significantly, the Red Cross said on Tuesday. Rescue crews are still struggling to assess the devastation caused by Cyclone Idai, which swept in at speeds of up to 170km/h from the Indian Ocean late last week, hitting Mozambique, then its inland neighbours Zimbabwe and Malawi. The official death count in Mozambique stands at 84 — but President Filipe Nyusi said on Monday he had flown over some of the worst-hit zones, seen bodies floating in rivers and now estimated that more than 1,000 people may have died there. A total of 98 people were confirmed dead and than 200 missing in Zimbabwe, its government said on Monday. The storm hit land near Mozambique's port of Beira on Thursday and went on to flood huge areas of territory, destroy roads and wipe out communications networks across the region. Drone footage posted online by the International Federation of Red Cross and...
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