GEZANI leaves a trail of destruction and four victims in Inhambane

The province of Inhambane is assessing the damage caused by Cyclone Gezani, which struck last Saturday. Although it hit the region with less intensity than the previous cyclone, the meteorological phenomenon caused the death of at least four people and significant material damage, especially to public infrastructure and precarious housing.

According to information obtained from a source at the Pedagogical University in Maxixe, the impact of Cyclone Gezani was less severe compared to the last cyclone. The preparedness of local communities was cited as a crucial factor in minimizing damage. Residents living in high-risk areas were moved to safer locations, while others reinforced the roofs of their houses with sandbags in an attempt to prevent the loss of their zinc sheets.

However, the outcome remains tragic. At the provincial level, four human victims were recorded: one in the city of Maxixe, another in the district of Massinga (the latter related to a lightning strike), and two in the administrative post of Inhambane-Céu.

Beyond the fatalities, the cyclone damaged several schools in the municipality of Maxixe. Our source emphasizes that the quality of the construction materials used in these infrastructures fell short of what is recommended to withstand climatic phenomena of this nature. The fall of trees and poles also caused an interruption in the electricity supply. Teams from Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM) were, according to the source, working tirelessly throughout Saturday to repair the power grid and restore normalcy.

It is important to mention that the community of Barra, near Praia do Tofo, was one of the areas severely affected. Several backyards, built with precarious materials, succumbed to the force of the wind. At the time of writing this report, local authorities maintained the number of four fatalities, and there is no indication yet that this number may increase.