Report from Sofala, Mozambique, concerning the effects of Cyclone Idai (Corneille Kipulu, sscc).
Not for the first time, Mozambique suffers from a natural phenomenon, this time the now famous cyclone Idai. The people of Mozambique had been expecting this cyclone, probably anticipating with sadness and anguish the damage it would cause. But reality is far great than anticipation. On Thursday, 14th March, in the evening, the effects of the cyclone began with a persistence of heavy rain (more than 250 mm in 24 hours). It remained over Mozambique until Monday, 18th March, when the rain began to ease. The cyclone affected the Provinces of Sofala, Manica and Quelimane with about 117 deaths recorded in Mozambique and in neighbouring Zimbabwe, not including those people who are unaccounted for.
Several houses, buildings, large markets were swept away and destroyed; roads were torn up, and the floods were most present in the districts of Buzi, Nhamatanda, Dondo, Muanza and Chibabava in Sofala Province.
In the ss.cc house of Marera nothing went untouched! The television room, the refectory, the kitchen, the two toilets from above, Fr. Germain's room and Fr. Ryszard’s room were all filled with water. Days were spent trying to clear up and clean up. Fr. Germain did not rest and even now as I write this text, he is still sweeping water away. Fr. Ryszard, who was on a trip to Maputo, was detained there for two days on account of his flight being delayed. When he finally arrived, he found the same situation. At school, the girls' dormitory roof, the administrative offices, the kitchen and one of the classrooms, were all taken away by the wind. Many of the trees planted by the community were broken by the violent storm: banana trees, avocados and orange trees. But thanks be to God, no one was injured and the damage was not total.
For all this time we were without electricity and without means of communication. As a result, there was no possibility to interact with our brothers in Beira who are still without internet and without means of communication.
Nature is God’s gift, the work of his goodness and love. We pray that we may seek to both make good use of it and protect it so that such sufferings caused by the force of nature may be reduced.
03/18/2019