Cyclone Idai damages total US$622 million

The devastating Cyclone Idai that swept Zimbabwe’s eastern districts of Manicaland province and some parts of Masvingo in March, caused damage estimated at US$622 million.

This was revealed by Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister, July Moyo, when he received a donation of assorted goods towards the cyclone victims from Zimbabwe’s members of Parliament on Wednesday morning. 

“We recently launched the Rapid Impact Needs Assessment, (RINA) in collaboration with the World Bank. This blueprint which is a strategy for immediate recovery and long term resilient building tells us how much we need to do in order to rebuild,” said Minister Moyo. 

“The blueprint indicates that there is between US$548 million and US$622 million in damages and losses due to Cyclone Idai across the nine districts affected,” he said. He said the donation comes at the right
time when people in affected areas are picking up their lives.

The cyclone, one of the most destructive ever to be recorded in the southern African country, triggered landslides that swept away homes, roads and bridges, leaving hundreds of people dead.