Cyclone Idai's Effect on Hydrographic Services: A Study in Mozambique's Waters
In March 2019, Tropical Cyclone Idai made landfall in Mozambique, causing widespread destruction and loss of life. The storm left several of the country's hydrographic services in dire need of restoration.
The costs associated with the restoration of the hydrographic boat Lago Niassa and the recovery of the computer system of the Hydrographic Services were estimated at USD 40,000 and USD 18,000 respectively. The buoy tender Bazaruto, which suffered damages due to the cyclone, will cost around USD 145,000 to rescue and restore.
Three buoys along the Beira Port access channel were drifted, with one (Buoy Alpha) being damaged and needing replacement at a cost of USD 136,000. The protection wall of the Beira Lighthouse (Macuti Lighthouse) was completely destroyed, with the restoration costs estimated at USD 750,000. The roof of the INAHINA's office in Beira was removed, and the estimated costs for recovering activities are USD 120,000.
The total costs to recover the affected hydrographic services in Mozambique were estimated at more than USD 1,859,000. The impact of the cyclone was particularly catastrophic in and around Beira City, where it caused the deaths of over 600 people and left an estimated 1.8 million people affected.
Tropical Cyclone Idai is believed to have caused substantial modifications to the morphology of Beira Bay, making it unsafe to produce an unlimited edition of Beira Charts based on the hydrographic data collected before the cyclone. A hydrographic survey along the Beira access channel was carried out to verify if a container from the Beira Port was obstructing the channel, at a cost of USD 20,000.
The international response to strengthen the capacity of National Hydrographic Services (NHS) in developing countries after events like Tropical Cyclones significantly involves collaboration through the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO). This includes providing technical assistance, capacity-building programs, and access to global networks of hydrographic experts to enhance national hydrographic capabilities for safer navigation, disaster risk reduction, and climate adaptation.
In Mozambique’s context, the aftermath of Cyclone Idai highlighted the acute needs for improved hydrographic data and capacity. While the search results do not provide a direct study, Mozambique as a developing coastal nation would benefit from such IHO-led capacity-building programs and international support, focusing on bathymetric surveys and updated nautical charts for safer navigation and enhanced disaster response capabilities.
The IHO's approach to capacity building involves capacity building and training, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, international collaboration, the use of modern technologies and standards, and integration with broader ocean and climate initiatives. This collective support aims to help developing countries better prepare for and respond to tropical cyclones and other maritime hazards.
- The costs of the hydrographic survey conducted along the Beira access channel to verify the safety of the channel were estimated at USD 20,000.
- In the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Idai, there was a need for improved hydrographic data and capacity in Mozambique, which could be addressed through programs and international support focused on environmental-science like bathymetric surveys and updated nautical charts.
- The IHO's capacity-building programs aim to integrate modern technologies and standards into hydrographic practices, promoting safer navigation, disaster risk reduction, and climate adaptation in developing countries such as Mozambique.
- Science, including hydrographic survey, plays a crucial role in the IHO's approach to capacity building, particularly in the context of climate-change and disaster risk reduction, by providing technical assistance and access to global networks of hydrographic experts to enhance national hydrographic capabilities.
