AFRICA/MOZAMBIQUE - Cyclone Kenneth: "Rains and gusts of wind have turned the landscape into a landfill"

Maputo (Agenzia Fides) – Destruction and inconveniences due to Cyclone Kenneth which devastated northern Mozambique last week causing about forty deaths. "The rains and gusts of wind at 280 km/h have transformed the landscape into a landfill", says to Fides Sandra Vileila Euleuterio, a nun of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Chambery.
"Trees destroyed, garbage everywhere, holes on the streets. Everything is so ugly, so dirty. It is so sad to see these people walking from one side of the city to the other, who are wet and try to sell their products in order to survive".
Rain and wind have diminished but still affect the region. The sisters welcomed some families who suffered the most from the effects of the storm in their premises. Some of them have lost their homes. "Once the fury of the hurricane passed - continues the nun - some families already returned to their neighborhoods, others are at relatives’ homes. Some support teams have been formed to collect and distribute food".
Even the parishes are returning to normality. The priests have started to celebrate public masses again (including some funeral masses). Ecumenical celebrations will be organized next week. "Donations have arrived from Brazil and Europe. It is not easy to work in partnership with the government. The Mozambican State is poor, has few resources and has nothing to offer. Everything will pass through the collaboration between Maputo and Caritas. We will see how it will be possible to operate in the field".
Meanwhile, there is the threat of a third cyclone. At the moment it is far from Mozambique and probably will not affect the country. (EC) (Agenzia Fides, 3/5/2019)

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