Africa

On cyclone-shattered island in Mozambique, shock and debris

Associated Press
Published | Updated

An aerial shot shows widespread destruction caused by Cyclone Kenneth when it struck Ibo island north of Pemba city in Mozambique, Wednesday, May, 1, 2019. The government has said more than 40 people have died after the cyclone made landfall on Thursday, and the humanitarian situation in Pemba and other areas is dire. More than 22 inches (55 centimeters) of rain have fallen in Pemba since Kenneth arrived just six weeks after Cyclone Idai tore into central Mozambique. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

A young girl walks past trees uprooted by Cyclone Kenneth when it struck Ibo island north of Pemba city in Mozambique, Wednesday, May, 1, 2019. The government has said more than 40 people have died after the cyclone made landfall on Thursday, and the humanitarian situation in Pemba and other areas is dire. More than 22 inches (55 centimeters) of rain have fallen in Pemba since Kenneth arrived just six weeks after Cyclone Idai tore into central Mozambique. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

Cyclone Kenneth in northern Mozambique ripped the island of Ibo apart. Nearly a week after the storm roared in, a visit by The Associated Press found widespread devastation.

Roofs were peeled away from the overwhelming majority of homes. Wells were contaminated, leaving drinking water a growing concern.

Thousands of residents who were shocked by the region's first cyclone recorded in the modern age are now trying to piece together shattered lives.

The aerial approach to the island showed communities flattened.

It took days for significant aid to reach Ibo as rains have lashed the region since Cyclone Kenneth hit on April 25 with the force of a Category 4 hurricane.

Fragile signs of recovery have emerged, but the tasks of finding shelter, food and medicine and rebuilding are immense.