Gombe hit the country on last Friday, starting in the northern province of Nampula; homes, crops, roads and bridges were destroyed by its accompanying rains and winds, said the governor of the province, Mety Gondola. At least 100,000 people had to seek refuge elsewhere to escape the cyclone, the latest in a series of similar events that have ravaged the region this year.

The situation of the evacuees is serious since several of the reception centers prepared in advance were also damaged by the cyclone, the official added.

Although the most affected area was the south, the rest of the country did not escape unscathed, as the cyclone, although weakened, also affected the north and center.

Paradoxically, countries in East Africa are suffering the devastating effects of a drought that has several of them on the verge of famine, including Somalia, according to reports from specialized UN agencies.

pgh/llp/mem/msl