Overall Red alert Tropical Cyclone for KENNETH-19
in , Mozambique, Comoros

Event summary

Tropical Cyclone KENNETH-19 can have a high humanitarian impact based on the maximum sustained wind speed, exposed population and vulnerability.

GDACS ID TC 1000559
Name KENNETH-19
Glide number: TC-2019-000039-COM
From - To 23 Apr - 25 Apr
Exposed countries , Mozambique, Comoros
Exposed population 260 thousand in Category 1 or higher
Maximum wind speed 231 km/h Category 4
Maximum storm surge 0.6 m (25 Apr 15:00 UTC)
Vulnerability --

GDACS Score

For more info on GDACS alert score click here.
Wind Storm surge Rainfall GDACS score
GDACS JTWC 139 km/h 1 m n.a. 0.5
Single TC: maximum expected impact (wind, storm surge, rainfall)
HWRF 259 km/h 1.6 m n.a. 2.5
GFS 205 km/h 1.1 m 701 mm 2.5
ECMWF 173 km/h 0.8 m 730 mm 0.5
Maximum expected impact (wind, storm surge and rainfall) using different data sources.
Virtual OSOCC
Meteo assessment
Satellite products
Analytical products
Seychelles, Comoros, Madagascar, Mozambique - Tropical Cyclone TWENTYFOUR (ECHO 23 Apr 2019)Tue, 23 Apr 2019 13:06

  • Tropical Depression TWENTYFOUR, which formed over the south-west Indian Ocean on 23 April, is moving west towards Outer Islands of Seychelles, Comores and Mozambique.
  • On 23 April at 0.00, its centre was approximately 50 km west of Farquhar Atoll (Outer Islands of Seychelles) and 260 km north-east of the northern cape of Madagascar, with maximum sustained winds of 56 km/h.
  • It is expected to move further west, strengthening and passing approximately 250 km north of Madagascar before reaching the Comoros on 25 April and Northern Mozambique on 25-26 April.
  • Heavy rain, strong winds and storm surge could affect the Outer Islands of Seychelles and northern Madagascar on 23-24 April, as well as Comoros and northern Mozambique on 25-26 April.
Comoros, Mozambique, Madagascar, Tanzania, Mayotte, Seyshelles - Tropical Cyclone KENNETH Update (ECHO 24 Apr 2019)Wed, 24 Apr 2019 13:07

  • Tropical Cyclone KENNETH is strengthening towards the Comoros Islands. On 24 April at 0.00 UTC, its centre was located approximately 270 km north-east of Ngazidja Island (Comoros) and 350 east north-east of Grande Comore Island (Comoros), with maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h.
  • It is forecast to strengthen, passing near Grande Comore on 24 April afternoon/evening with maximum sustained winds up to 190 km/h. It is predicted to continue west, making landfall in Capo Delgado Province (northern Mozambique) on late 25 April, with maximum sustained winds up to 160 km/h.  
  • On 24-26 April, strong winds, heavy rainfall and storm surge are expected to affect the Comoros archipelago (in particular Ngazidja), Mayotte, northern Mozambique, southern Tanzania. A yellow warning has been issued by Comoros National Authorities.
  • In March, Mozambique was severely impacted by the passage of Tropical Cyclone IDAI, which caused more than 600 fatalities in the country, as well as extensive damage across Mozambique and neighboring countries.
Mozambique, Comoros, Tanzania - Tropical Cylone KENNETH Update (ECHO 26 Apr 2019)Fri, 26 Apr 2019 13:03

  • Tropical Cyclone KENNETH made landfall between Macomia and Quissanga (Cabo Delgado Province) on 25 April. On 26 April at 6.00 UTC, its centre was located approximately 50 km north-west of Meluco municipality, with maximum sustained winds of 102 km/h.
  • As of 26 April at 8.00, UN OCHA reports three people dead on Grand Comore Island, at least 20 injured and 1 000 displaced. Initial assessments point to extensive damage across the Comoros archipelago, with several villages flooded, power outages and road blocks in Grande Comore and Anjoua.
  • In northern Mozambique, at least 30 000 have been evacuated, while evacuations have taken place in southern Tanzania. 
  • Over the next 24 hours, it will move further south-west over Capo Delgado Province, weakening.
  • Intense rainfall, strong winds and thunderstorms are forecast in north-eastern provinces of Mozambique, south-eastern Tanzania and Comoros.
  • This is the first time that two strong tropical cyclones have hit Mozambique in the same season, with Tropical Cyclone IDAI leaving more than 600 people dead in March.

Mozambique, Comoros - Tropical Cyclone KENNETH (ECHO 29 Apr 2019)Mon, 29 Apr 2019 13:04

  • After the passage of Tropical Cyclone KENNETH over the Comoros on 24 April and northern Mozambique on 25-26 April, eight people have been reported dead.
  • According to media reports, five people were killed in central-eastern Cabo Delagado Province in Mozambique and Quirimbas Islands due to flooding. 35 000 houses were damaged and around 160 000 people affected. In Comoros, three people were killed, 20 injured and approximately 1 000 evacuated.
  • Over the next 24 hours, heavy rainfall, strong winds and thunderstorms are forecast over central-northern Mozambique. Moderate rain is forecast over the Comoros.
  • The Copernicus Emergency Management Service was activated on 26 April in rapid mapping mode for the Comoros (EMSR355) and for Cabo Delagado Province in northern Mozambique (EMSR354).
Mozambique, Comoros - Tropical Cyclone KENNETH update (ECHO 30 Apr 2019)Tue, 30 Apr 2019 13:03

  • The death toll and damage in Mozambique and Comoros as a result of Tropical Cyclone KENNETH continues to rise.
  • According to the National Disaster Management Institute (INGC) of Mozambique, as of 29 April, 38 are dead,  39 injured, 20 720 sheltered in 30 accommodation centres and 168 254 affected. 34 964  buildings are destroyed (2 930 totally and 32 034 partially).
  • In the Comoros, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), as of 29 April, at least four people are dead, 1 750 displaced and 25 000 affected.
  • The European Commission alocated €1.5 million on 26 April to respond to the resulting humanitarian needs in both countries. 
  • Over the next 24 hours, heavy rain, strong winds and thunderstorms are forecast over northern Mozambique and Comoros and moderate rain over central-southern Mozambique.
  • The European Commission's Copernicus satelite mapping service was activated on 26 April for northern Mozambique (EMSR354) and for Comoros (EMSR355). Four maps have been produced so far for Cabo Delagado Province.
Mozambique - TC KENNETH Update (ECHO 06 May 2019)Mon, 06 May 2019 13:08

  • After Tropical Cyclone KENNETH's passage on 25 April, Cabo Delgado Province (Northern Mozambique) is still experiencing rainfall, which has hampered the humanitarian response.
  • As of 6 May at 8.00 UTC, 41 people are reported dead in Cabo Delgado. The cyclone and heavy rains have affected 243,300 people in the provinces of Nampula and Cabo Delgado. A total of 34,674 houses were destroyed in Cabo Delgado and other 2,634 in Nampula Province.
  • Shortages of potable water been reported across the affected areas, and electricity and communications are still down.
  • Cholera cases have emerged in Pemba City and Mecufi district and a cholera outbreak was officially declared in the region on 2 May.
  • Locally moderate rainfall, with thunderstorms and moderate winds are forecast over the province for the next 24 hours.
Mozambique and Comoros - Tropical Cyclone KENNETH Update (ECHO 07 May 2019)Tue, 07 May 2019 13:03

  • The death toll in Mozambique and Comoros as a result of Tropical Cyclone KENNETH stands at 49, with 41 in Mozambique and eight in Comoros. 
  • In Mozambique, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of 5 May, 17,865 are in shelters across Cabo Delgado Province and 313 across Nampula Province, 4,309 houses have been totally destroyed and 33,425 partially destroyed, whereas the total number of people reportedly affected, reached 241,100 (208,361 in Cabo Delgado and 18,636 in Nampula). 
  • In Comoros, according to the same source, at least 14,541 people were reported displaced, 10,800 houses damaged, while the total number of people affected reached 345,131.
  • The European Commission’s Copernicus emergency satellite mapping service was activated on 26 April, since then have been produced of the affected areas in Cabo Delgado province.
Mozambique, Comoros - Tropical Cyclone KENNETH Update (ECHO 10 May 2019)Fri, 10 May 2019 13:00

  • The death toll in Mozambique and Comoros as a result of Tropical Cyclone KENNETH has reached 50, of which 43 in Mozambique (41 in Cabo Delgado Province and two in Nampula Province) and seven in Comoros.
  • In Mozambique, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), as of 8 May, 94 people were reported injured, approximately 21,500 people sheltered in 11 displacement centres across Cabo Delgado and Nampula Provinces and around 45,400 houses totally or partially destroyed throughout the affected provinces.
  • In addition, a cholera outbreak was reported in northern Mozambique on 2 May, with 109 cases recorded so far.
  • In Comoros, according to UNOCHA, 182 people were reported injured, at least 19,300 people displaced and more than 11,400 houses totally or partially destroyed.
Detailed event map. European Union, 2024. Map produced by EC-JRC.
The boundaries and the names shown on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the European Union.

Updates on volcanic activity (Smithsonian)

Latest media headlines

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Estimated casualties (PAGER)

USGS estimates the number of casualties for each earthquake for the Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) product.
The graph shows the current fatalities estimate.

Exposed population

Analytical products

Daily Maps:

30/Apr/2019 06:39 UTC

Data, images, links, services and documents

For this events, GDACS has links to information from the following sources: UNOSAT (1), EMSR (4), EC-JRC (38), INFORM (1), (1),