Greenpeace Africa, an independent environmental campaigning organisation, has raised concern over infrastructure worth $2.2bn that Cyclone Eloise damaged in Mozambique and neighbouring countries.
Cyclone Eloise requires coordinated climate action by Africa leaders, Greenpeace stated on Wednesday.
It stressed that the tropical storm was the third cyclone to hit the Mozambican coast since 2019, affecting more than 200,000 people, displacing at least 8,000 and destroying schools, roads and other vital infrastructure.
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“In 2019, Cyclone Idai and Kenneth caused extensive flooding in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, damaging more than 100,000 homes, killing more than 1,200 people, triggering cholera and diarrhoea outbreaks and damaging approximately $2.2 billion worth of local infrastructure.
“President Filipe Nyusi is set to embark on a trip to areas affected by Cyclone Eloise, as the damage is being assessed in Mozambique and neighbouring countries, after it struck three days ago.”
Senior Climate and Energy campaigner, Greenpeace Africa, Happy Khambule, said, “Thoughts and prayers alone won’t fix the climate crisis at the heart of the cyclone.
“Extreme weather conditions will become more intense and its consequences for communities more severe, unless President Nyusi and his counterparts in the Southern African Development Community take serious climate action.
“As the weather rages, so will our youth. Thousands across the continent are rising to demand leaders declare a climate emergency and act boldly to safeguard lives, communities and our future.”
A climate risk index released recently by Germanwatch showed Mozambique and Zimbabwe were the two countries hardest-hit by extreme weather in 2019, Greenpeace noted.
Tropical cyclones are storms that originate over the ocean when the surface water reaches or exceeds around 26 degrees Celsius.
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