LISBON, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Portugal is available to help Mozambique following the passage of cyclone Idai in the city of Beira that caused dozens of deaths, according to a statement posted on the presidency's website on Tuesday.
"Portugal will seek to contribute to the relief and reconstruction effort, either directly or through the European Union and the United Nations, expressing to the Mozambican people and to all those, particularly Portuguese, who have been affected by this great tragedy," said President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
He said that he had spoken with his Mozambican counterpart Filipe Nyusi to find out "more details about the effects of the cyclone in central Mozambique and particularly in the city of Beira, with the consequence much more tragic and dramatic than initially estimated, either in enormous loss of human life and injury, or in destruction and loss of property."
The Portuguese head of state expressed condolences for the "tragic consequences" of the cyclone in a message sent to President Nyusi on Friday.
"The President of the Republic expressed, on behalf of the Portuguese people and in his own name, condolences for the tragic consequences resulting from the violent natural calamities that affected the regions of Central and Northern Mozambique," said the message.
On Monday, the Portuguese government announced that "until now there are no Portuguese citizens dead, injured or in danger" due to the passage of Cyclone Idai in Mozambique, but "dozens have lost their homes and property."
Cyclone Idai's passage into Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe has caused at least 222 deaths, according to provisional assessments released by the respective governments on Monday.
More than 1.5 million people were affected by the storm in the three African countries.
Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi said that the cyclone could have caused more than 1,000 deaths in Mozambique and 84 people have been confirmed dead.
