UNITED NATIONS, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Around 1.5 million people in Comoros and Mozambique are expected to be affected by upcoming Cyclone Kenneth, said a UN spokesperson Wednesday.
Tropical Cyclone Kenneth is expected to head over the northern tip of the Comoros Wednesday and continue to northern Mozambique and southern Tanzania, making landfall in Mozambique's Palma District Thursday, according to forecast.
At a press briefing Wednesday, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, said the entire population of the Comoros -- close to 759,000 people -- is within the Cyclone Kenneth's windspeed zones, with Grand Comore island being the primary concern, citing the UN Satellite Office.
Also, he said UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports more than 747,000 people in Mozambique live within Cyclone Kenneth's path.
The southeastern African country, together with Zimbabwe and Malawi, was already badly battered by Cyclone Idai last month.
Making landfall in Mid-March, Cyclone Idai left more than 1,000 people dead in the storm, flooding and rains it had caused. The World Bank has estimated the affected countries will need over 2 billion U.S. dollars to recover.
Bracing for Cyclone Kenneth, Dujarric said OCHA has deployed a staff member to support the UN team on the ground in Comoros and has also been in touch with the Tanzanian authorities.
