Cyclone Kenneth – Comoros

25.04.2019

Humanity Road activated the disaster desk at a Yellow Level 2 to monitor impacts to Comoros from Cyclone Kenneth. . According to UNOSAT the entire population of Comoros (758,339) is within the cyclones reach. GDACS issued an orange alert for the cyclone. Flooding due to heavy rains is expected to increase with winds reaching up to 130mph. The storm is expected to make landfall in northern Mozambique and southern Tanzania.

Download Situation Report #1

  • Cyclone Kenneth Humanity Road Sitrep1 Comoros.pdf

Situation Overview

As Kenneth passed to the north of Comoros, which has a population of around one million people, it was packing sustained winds of around 140km per hour with significantly higher gusts. This makes it equivalent to a category-1 Atlantic hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Tropical cyclones in this region are rare as they do not tend to form within 10 degrees of the equator because the Coriolis force is not strong enough. By 9:00 GMT, the winds around Kenneth intensified to 230-gusting-to-280km/h, making it equivalent to a category-4 hurricane. source

Significant Updates

Below is a summary of current conditions and significant updates. T

25 APR

  • Press briefing by the Minister of the Interior KIKI and Colonel ISMAEL Mwigni Daho, Video
  • Power Outages: Winds caused widespread power outages in the northern part of the main island, Grande Comore, and the capital Moroni as well as on the island of Anjouan source
  • Homes and roads are damaged and destroyed, telephone poles and trees are down. Red Crescent volunteers are supporting the urgent needs of communities, providing first aid and assessing needs on the ground. source

 

National Links

Government

 

Languages:

Arabic, French, Comoran/Shikomoro (blend of Swahili and Arabic)

News and Media

Radio is the dominant medium. The national state-run network competes with regional services and private stations. There is a national TV service and a handful of private TV stations. Broadcasts from the neighbouring French island of Mayotte can be picked up in some areas. Most papers publish weekly; a feeble advertising market, poverty and poor distribution inhibit circulation. The leading titles are Al-Watwan, published on Grand Comore, and Kwezi, published on Mayotte. The constitution guarantees media freedom, but there is a climate of self-censorship, says Reporters Without Borders. Radio France Internationale is relayed part-time on FM in the capital. There were 59,000 internet users by 2016 (Internetlivestats.com). Access is limited by a lack of infrastructure, power cuts and high connection costs, says RSF. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13229688

 

National Weather Service (INAM)

  • Website: https://www.facebook.com/MeteoComores

 

Comoros Red Cross, Avenue de la Ligue des Etats Arabes Moroni

Tel: (269) 773 06 64

Fax: (269) 773 06 64

Telex: 241 Public KO

Email: http://www.cr-comorien.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Croissant-Rouge-Comorien-127754897256789/

Logistics

  • Regulations http://www.uccia-comores.com/reglementations/
  • Limited access due to damaged roads is another important predicted constraint. With all national transport suspended, limited power supply and phone connectivity, logistic is a real challenge. Flooding due to heavy rains is expected to increase in the coming days, as response operations will be affected by the extent of the floods. source

Humanity Road

 

French Embassy in Moroni

  • Boulevard de Strasbourg – BP 465 – MORONI

Telephone: (00 269) 773.06.15 / 773.03.95

Fax: (00 269) 773.09.22

 

Regional Summaries

Ngazidja 11.699°S 43.256°E 41,557 residents

(also known as Grande Comore): the largest island of the Union of the Comoros, with its capital Moroni -, has a port and several mosques.

  • MORONI
    • 25 Apr – Maroni Homes and roads are damaged and destroyed, telephone poles and trees are down. Red Crescent volunteers are supporting the urgent needs of communities, providing first aid and assessing needs on the ground source
  • IVOINI
    • 25 Apr -RTMC Radio/TV reports 4 injured and one dead in Ivonini (unconfirmed) Source
    • 25 Apr – 60 houses of sheet (tin) and four brick homes damaged in Iovini source
    • 25 Apr – damage to houses photos Photos
  • FOUMBOUNI
    • 25 Apr – Surging Waves compromised a dike, patients of the hospital of Foumbouni were evacuated. (Unconfirmed) source

Ndzuwani (also known as Anjouan): 277,500 Residents

  • MIRONTSI
    • Two people died and 20 injured including 18 in Guazidja and 2 in Ndzouan Source
    • Damage to houses source
  • There is a high risk of flooding over the whole territory and particularly on the island of Anjouan. UNICEF has no stocks available on Anjouan this could present a major challenge if there is flooding on the two other islands. Potential communication and transport challenges between islands are likely. source

Mwali (also known as Mohéli): 38,000 Residents

  • UNICEF has no stocks available on Mohali, this could present a major challenge if there is flooding on the two other islands. Potential communication and transport challenges between islands are likely. source

Mayotte (also known as Maore or Mahori): 270,372 Residents

 

Emergency Numbers

 

17 (Police), 18 (Fire), 772 03 73 (Ambulance)

 

Shelters and Evacuation Centers

25 April

  • Many families found refuge at the hotel retaj in Moroni following the passage yesterday of the cyclone. source

Schools

  • The private school of dzahadjou hambou (Gwmc) has no roof anymore. The rooms are flooded with water. The benches tables are piled up against each other. source

 

Health and Hospitals

On Grande Comore, surging Waves compromised a dike and patients of the hospital of Foumbouni were evacuated. (Unconfirmed) source

 

Map link of hospitals

Hospital, location, phone

El-Marouf Magoudjou (Moroni) 773 34 33

Ascobef, Coulée (Moroni) 773 37 98

Service Santé Militaire, Moroni 773 18 51

Hôpital de Mbeni

Hôpital pôle de Mitsamiouli

Hopital de Foumboun, Foumbouni (compromised – patients evacuated)

Hombo Mutsamudou (Anjouan) 771 00 34

Service de Santé, Ouani (Anjouan) 771 07 56

Hopital Salamani, Mohéli 772 03 73

 

Special Needs Populations

An estimated 150, 000 people mainly north and east of the island of Grande Comore are under threat. There is a high risk of flooding over the whole territory and particularly on the island of Anjouan. Of those in need, 67,800 are children and 41,800 women source

Airports

25 April

  • Kenya Airways wishes to inform its customers and the public that it has cancelled its flights to Dzaoudzi and Moroni, respectively. The cancellations are due to closure of the airports by local civil aviation authorities as a result of the unfavorable weather conditions. source

24 APR

  • Cormoran media are reporting that authorities have closed airports and schools for at least 24 hours as a precautionary measure ahead of the impending tropical storm that has been dubbed Cyclone Kenneth.source

 

Lists of Airports

Prince Said Ibrahim International Airport (HAH) – Moroni (-11.536667, 43.271389)

  • Website https://aeroportsdescomores.com/

 

Roads, Rails and Bridges

TBD

Maritime / Shipping / Ports

TBD

Communications

Comores Telecom

Maps and Reports

Power and Fuel

Useful Links

69.3% of the population has access to electricity. No access to wind, wind speeds rarely go above 3m/s. Solar has great potential and many hotels are implementing solar. l’Eau et de l’Electricité aux Comores (MAMWE) is the state-owned utility, in charge of the generation and distribution of electricity on the islands of Grand Comore and Moheli. Electricité d’Anjouan (EDA) is responsible for electricity generation and distribution Anjouan island.

 

Mamwe – State owned Electricity and Water Authority

  • Website https://annuyakom.comeau

Water Systems

Status

Among the affected population, it is estimated that 65 per cent use rainwater harvesting as their main source of water, while 35 per cent are connected to a water supply system. While rainwater will be available, some citterns may be damaged, and most should be considered as contaminated. The water supply system (Mbeni and Mitsamiouli) will primarily be affected by power cuts, preventing pumping and hampering water supply. People will revert to rainwater. source

 

Pictures and Videos

 

Apr 25

 

  • Images from Comoros show the damage caused by #CycloneKenneth as it passed the Island overnight. It was a category 2 storm but has since gained strength and is now category 4 as it heads for Nothern Mozambique and Southern Tanzania. source
  • Moroni damage pics source

 

Social Media

Hashtags – #CycloneKenneth #CaboDelgado #CicloneKenneth #Mozambique #Tanzania #Comoros #Kenneth