Mozambique started a two-day national mourning on Friday, December 20, in honor of the victims of Cyclone Chido, which hit the country&039;s northern provinces last weekend, leaving at least 73 people killed, more than 540 injured, and a trail of destruction, Xinhua reports.

In a televised address Thursday night, President Filipe Nyusi sent his condolences to families of the victims and to those affected by the calamity.

"To all those who directly or indirectly suffered from this calamity, my thoughts and the hearts of Mozambicans go out to the grieving families," the president said in his Communication to the Nation speech, delivered on the occasion of Family Day, Christmas, and the End of the Year.

"We will immediately prioritize support for the replacement of shelters, housing, food, energy, water, and the distribution of seeds, in addition to the other support that is taking place," he said.

The cyclone, which struck the provinces of Cabo Delgado, Nampula, and Niassa, caused widespread devastation, displacing thousands and damaging critical infrastructure.

According to the latest update from INGD, the national disaster relief agency, the cyclone destroyed or damaged 36,207 homes, 49 healthcare facilities, 13 places of worship, 186 electricity poles, nine water systems, and 171 fishing boats. Additionally, 167 schools were impacted, affecting 15,429 students and 224 teachers.

Two emergency accommodation centers have been opened to house over 1,300 people in need of immediate assistance.

Humanitarian organizations have begun providing emergency aid while urgently seeking additional resources to help the more than 182,000 people affected.