He Thought His City Was Prepared For Big Storms. Then Cyclone Idai Hit
Beira, a coastal city in Mozambique, had a system in place to protect against flooding. Still, it was destroyed by the cyclone. Mayor Daviz Simango reflects on what went wrong.
Daviz Simango, mayor of Beira, Mozambique, thought that his coastal city was prepared for cyclones.
In 2012, the city built a new drainage system and wave barriers with $120 million from the World Bank. The idea was to help Beira withstand the rising seas and increased storms that experts predict will accompany global climate change.
Then Cyclone Idai hit.
The storm, which slammed into the coast of Mozambique on from flooding that measured about 80 miles long and 15 miles wide.
