Three days of national mourning began Wednesday in Mozambique after one of the most destructive storms to strike southern Africa in decades killed hundreds of people.
Cyclone Idai, packing sustained winds of up to 170 kilometers per hour, hit Mozambique’s port city of Beira last Thursday before sweeping inland to Zimbabwe and Malawi.
Forecasters predict more torrential rains are expected through Thursday and floodwaters are still rising. Aid groups are trying to transport essential goods to desperate survivors.
President Filipe Nyusi said Idai had killed more than 200 people in Mozambique and that rescuers were still finding bodies. After flying over affected areas on Monday, he added that he expected the death toll to exceed 1,000.
Officials confirmed death toll in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi stood at more than 300.
