The African Development Bank (AfDB) announced this Saturday a financing of 397 million meticais (six million euros) for the rehabilitation of a power line damaged by Cyclone Idai, which struck the central part of the country in 2019.

"What will be done is the replacement of the wooden poles that supported the line and the placement of new metallic infrastructure, supported by concrete. All this will be supported by direct funding from the ADB," Luís Mandlate, executive director of the Post-Cyclone Reconstruction Office, told Lusa.

The works, which will take 18 months to execute, will cover a total length of 65 kilometers in the districts of Buzi and Nhamatanda, in the province of Sofala, in the center of the country.

"This means that the quality and reliability of power in this area will improve, since we will not have the power interruptions that currently characterize the districts. We will have a more robust line," stressed Luis Mandlate quoted by Lusa.

Cyclone Idai hit central Mozambique in March 2019, causing more than 600 deaths, with Sofala province severely affected.

About 90% of the city of Beira, the provincial capital of Sofala, was destroyed by the cyclone.

A few months later, in April of the same year, Mozambique was again affected by a cyclone (the Kenneth), which killed 45 people in the north of the country.

The 2018/2019 rainy season was one of the most severe in memory in Mozambique: a total of 714 people died, including 648 victims of the two cyclones.

Mozambique is considered one of the countries most affected by climate change in the world.