The African Development Bank (AfDB) is to provide a loan of 397 million meticais (6 million euros) for the rehabilitation of a power line damaged by Cyclone Idai in 2019.
“The wooden posts that supported the line will be replaced with new metallic structures on concrete bases. This will be supported by direct funding from the AfDB,” said executive director of the Post-Cyclone Reconstruction Office (GREPOC) Luís Mandlate.
The work, covering 65 kilometres of power line in the districts of Buzi and Nhamatanda in Sofala province, central Mozambique, will take 18 months.
“The quality and reliability of electricity in this area will improve, without the power cuts which currently characterise the districts. We will have a more robust line,” Mandlate said.
Cyclone Idai hit central Mozambique in March 2019, causing more than 600 deaths, with Sofala province being severely affected. About 90 per cent of the city of Beira, the provincial capital, was destroyed.
A few months later, in April of the same year, Mozambique was again affected, this time by Cyclone Kenneth, which killed 45 people in the north of the country.
The 2018/2019 rainy season was one of the most severe in memory: a total of 714 people died, including 648 victims of the two cyclones.
Mozambique is considered one of the countries most affected by global climate change.
