Chinese rescue team heads for cyclone-hit Mozambique

A Chinese rescue team flew for Mozambique Sunday afternoon from Beijing to provide search and rescue support and medical and epidemic prevention assistance for the cyclone-hit country.

The 65-member team was dispatched, at the request of the Mozambique government, by the Ministry of Emergency Management with the approval of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council.

A Mozambique's national flag flies at half-mast for the last day of the national mourning period in Tica town, along the National Road No. 6 (EN6) in the Pungue River Basin, Mozambique, March 23, 2019. After the country was hit by Tropical Cyclone Idai since last week, the rise of the water level of river Pungue has caused floods and massive destruction. (Xinhua/Nie Zuguo)

Early in the morning on March 15 Beijing Time, tropical cyclone Idai hit Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi, causing devastating damages to people's lives and property with floods and landslides triggered by strong wind and heavy rain.

By Sunday, Mozambique had reported 446 deaths from the disaster. The affected population has risen to more than 500,000.

The Mozambican government declared three days of national mourning starting Wednesday for the victims of Cyclone Idai.

Sources with the Ministry of Emergency Management said this was the first overseas rescue mission by a Chinese team since the set-up of the ministry last March.