Mozambique. On 14 December 2024, cyclone Chido, with winds of over 220 km/h, hit the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean, affecting the archipelago of Mayotte, the Comoros, and Mozambique, especially the Pemba Region.
The cyclone left a trail of destruction, pulling off roofs and felling trees and electricity poles, with the number of victims not yet certain, due to damage to the communication routes and the difficulty of reaching a territory already hard hit by conflicts and poverty.
On 15 December, Pope Francis, from the Cathedral of Ajaccio, in Corsica, where he was on an apostolic journey, immediately came close to the population. “Let us pray for the victims of the cyclone that struck the Mayotte archipelago in recent hours. I am spiritually close to all those who have been affected by this tragedy.”
The Bishop of Pemba, Mons. António Juliasse Ferreira Sandramo, describes the situation:
“It is not yet possible to share news and images from Pemba, Mecufi, Mazeze, and Ocua. In Chiúre, the damage was severe; many houses of precarious construction were destroyed and many more houses are without a roof. The parish church, the house of the Salesian Sisters, the small school, the Salesian social center, the Fazenda de Esperanza, the residence of the Jesuit Father, have suffered considerable damage, especially to the roofs. The Fazenda de Esperanza is receiving many people who are seeking refuge because their homes have been destroyed.”
In contact with Mother and the General Council, the Treasurer of St. John Bosco Province (MOZ), Sister Lorella Figini, has reported the huge damage suffered:
“The cyclone spared no one and the poorest once again lost the little they had. There is no drinking water and with the heat, cholera can have its doors open. The province most affected is Cabo Delgado, a land already suffering and martyred because of the scourge of terrorism. The two works we have in this province have suffered heavy losses.”
The wind has blown the roofs of almost all the buildings of the FMA House in Chiúre – kindergarten, primary school, formation center, girls’ dormitories, and part of the roof of the Sisters’ residence. Many benches, chairs, and tables are unusable.
It is not possible to assess with precision regarding the damage to the Pemba House middle school due to the difficulty in communication:
“There have been some losses not yet fully defined, even of several families of the Sisters, and we will try to see, as far as possible, how to help there too. For the population, which has lost practically everything, we trust in humanitarian aid”, adds Sister Lorella. And she expresses her gratitude for the closeness and support of the Institute, which appeals to the solidarity of the people:
“Thank you from our heart for your prompt intervention. In these moments, one feels very powerless and it is beautiful to feel the family warmth that immediately becomes solidarity! Thank you for all that you will continue to do.”
The Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians offers concrete support to the population and relies on the generosity and solidarity of everyone. You can send contributions and offerings in the ways indicated on the Web site of the FMA Institute, designating as the motive Emergency Mozambique.
