The Portuguese Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Francisco André, said on Sunday that Portugal will activate mechanisms to support the victims of Cyclone Gombe and recover destroyed infrastructure in Mozambique.

"We are going to activate once again the rapid response instrument of [Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua] Camões, to support the populations," he said.

This instrument had been activated a year ago, following the attack by armed groups on the town of Palma, in Cabo Delgado. Around 250,000 euros were made available for interventions by non-governmental organizations that delivered basic necessities and provided other support to displaced people following the attack.

In the case of cyclone Gombe, whose rains have affected the north and center of the country since March 11, the allocation of funds will depend on the needs reported by the national authorities, who are still in the process of surveying the damage.

In addition to this aid, Portugal will also provide "funds to support the recovery of infrastructure that has been affected" and, from another angle, will redirect projects in the area of cooperation and development to support the affected communities.

On the occasion, that Portuguese official recalled that Mozambique is among the countries that least harm the environment, being, however, one of the ones that suffers the most.

The death toll from Tropical Cyclone Gombe rose Thursday to 51, with widespread destruction of homes, bridges and access roads.

The main link in the country, National Road 1, which connects the north and south of Mozambique, has been cut off since Saturday in the central province of Zambezia, after rains washed away part of a section.

The country is approaching the final stretch of the current cyclonic season, which happens annually between October and April, with strong storms.