Grim report by UN, Cyclone Idai is one of Africa’s worst natural disaster

United Nations, Mar 21: With the death toll of 360, UN reports that Cyclone Idai may be one of the worst natural disasters to hit southern Africa in living memory.

Farhan Haq, the Deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, gave a grim report of the destruction left by the cyclone that hit parts of Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.

Haq expressed, "What we want to do is underscore the sheer level of this crisis, This may be one of the worst national disasters to hit southern Africa in living memory and we will need to do quite a lot.

He said a regular briefing that what was needed was not yet known "because of the amount of the damage that's been created and the inaccessibility to the area".

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported, In Malawi, nearly 1 million people were affected, with 56 deaths and 577 injuries recorded. More than 82,700 people are estimated to be displaced.

According to Mozambique government reports, In Mozambique, at least 202 people are confirmed dead. The death toll is expected to rise. According to UNICEF reports, An estimated 260,000 children have reportedly been affected.

Mr. Haq said, “In Zimbabwe, at least 102 deaths and over 200 injuries have been reported and more than 200 people are reportedly still missing”.

Further, he added, the World Food Programme has pre-positioned food stocks ready to deploy and other agencies are mobilizing stocks, particularly for health and water and sanitation interventions.