Cyclone Chido has caused significant devastation in Mozambique, killing 94 people since it hit the country last week, according to local authorities. The storm also left 768 people injured and affected more than 622,000 people in various ways.Chido struck Mozambique on December 15 with powerful winds reaching 260 km/h (160 mph) and heavy rain, dumping 250mm of rain in just 24 hours.

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The cyclone first caused destruction in the French island of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean before moving to Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe.In Mozambique, the cyclone hit northern provinces that often face such storms, beginning in Cabo Delgado and spreading to Niassa and Nampula.

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The storm heavily damaged schools, affecting over 109,000 students, and destroyed 52 health centers, making it harder for people in affected areas to access medical care, especially in regions that already had limited healthcare facilities.Daniel Chapo, a leader from Mozambique's ruling party, stated that the government is working on all fronts to help those affected by the cyclone.

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He visited Cabo Delgado, one of the worst-hit areas, and assured people in several provinces, including Mecúfi, Nampula, Memba, and Niassa, that efforts are underway to help them rebuild.Before reaching Mozambique, Cyclone Chido caused widespread damage in Mayotte, where it became the worst storm in 90 years. At least 35 people were reported dead, with local officials expecting the toll to rise as further damage assessments are made.

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Over 1,300 emergency responders were sent to help, but many residents still lack basic necessities. Water is slowly returning to Mayotte’s capital, but people are advised to boil water before drinking it.Efforts are underway to provide aid, with 80 tonnes of food and 50 tonnes of water delivered to Mayotte, and 100 tonnes of supplies arriving daily.

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Tropical cyclones like Chido bring strong winds, heavy rainfall, and rising sea levels, which often lead to widespread flooding and damage.The cyclone, the INGD said, "highlights once again, the vulnerability of social infrastructures to climate change and the need for resilient planning to mitigate future impacts".

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Assessing the exact influence of climate change on individual tropical cyclones can be challenging due to the complexity of these storm systems. But rising temperatures do affect these storms in measurable ways.

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The UN's climate body, the IPCC, previously said there is "high confidence" that humans have contributed to increases in precipitation associated with tropical cyclones, and "medium confidence" that humans have contributed to the higher probability of a tropical cyclone being more intense.

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