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38 Dead in Mozambique Cyclone

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Residents stand outside a flooded house as rain falls in the aftermath of Cyclone Kenneth in Pemba, Mozambique, Apr. 28, 2019.
Residents stand outside a flooded house as rain falls in the aftermath of Cyclone Kenneth in Pemba, Mozambique, Apr. 28, 2019.

Thirty-eight people have been confirmed dead in Mozambique in the aftermath of Cyclone Kenneth, the second deadly cyclone to hit the country in six weeks.

Mozambique's disaster management institute said Monday the death toll, previously at five, had risen as the country braced for more rain.

"It's been raining hard since Sunday morning," said Deborah Nguyen, spokeswoman for the U.N. World Food Program. "We are very worried because, according to the forecasts, heavy rain is expected for the next four days."

The rain is causing floods and landslides, and more rain will add more misery, cutting off roads that aid groups are using to transport urgently needed supplies, including food and medicine.

Nearly 200,000 people are in danger in the northern city of Pemba.

Mozambique's National Institute of Disaster Management said Sunday more than 23,000 people have no shelter and nearly 35,000 homes have been partly or completely destroyed.

Before reaching Mozambique, Kenneth swept over the island nation of Comoros, killing three people.

On Sunday, the U.N. released $13 million to "provide lifesaving food, shelter, health, water and sanitation assistance to people affected by Tropical Cyclone Kenneth."

Cyclone Idai smashed into southern Africa in mid-March and killed more than 1,000 people across Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Madagascar.

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