JOHANNESBURG, March 18 (ANA) - Cyclone Idai had damaged an estimated 90% of the Mozambican city of Beira, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said on Monday, citing an initial assessment by a team of its aid workers.
">The IFRC said the death toll from the impact of the cyclone, which has also affected neighbouring Malawi and Zimbabwe, was currently estimated at 150.
">“The situation is terrible. The scale of devastation is enormous. It seems that 90% of the area is completely destroyed," Jamie LeSueur, who is leading the IFRC assessment team into Beira, said after an aerial inspection.
">The IFRC team was among the first to arrive in Beira on Sunday. Idai made landfall around March 14/15. With Beira’s airport closed, the team drove from Mozambique's capital Maputo before taking a helicopter for the last part of the journey. Roads into Beira have been cut off by flooding.
">“Almost everything is destroyed. Communication lines have been completely cut and roads have been destroyed. Some affected communities are not accessible,” said LeSueur.
">“Beira has been severely battered. But we are also hearing that the situation outside the city could be even worse. Yesterday, a large dam burst and cut off the last road to the city.”
">Following its landfall in Mozambique cyclone Idai continued west into Zimbabwe as a tropical storm, wreaking havoc in several districts in the eastern part, with Chimanimani and Chipinge districts in Manicaland province being the hardest hit.
">At least 31 deaths have been reported and over 100 people are missing in Zimbabwe, the IFRC said.
">The aid group has already released about 340 000 Swiss francs from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund which will go towards an initial response effort for about 7 500 people.
">The IFRC is the world’s largest humanitarian network, comprising 191 national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies working around the globe.
">- African News Agency (ANA)
