After the storm: Rebuilding Beira

Beira now resembles a construction site six weeks after Cyclone Idai hit the city. Almost all the rooftops were either blown away or severely damaged. The World Bank estimates the total damage across Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi amounts to $2 billion (€1.78 billion).

The roof of Andre Lino's house was blown away in the storm and he can't afford a new one. Lino and his family have lived here since 1977 — just 100 meters (109 yards) away from the beach. "The sea is getting closer," says Lino. "That scares me." He would like to move away, but can't afford to.

Parts of Beira are below sea level. The city has suffered from many fatal floods in the past and further catastrophes are likely in the near future. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that the sea level is expected to increase by another 40 to 80 centimeters (16 to 31 inches) by 2100.

The poorest neighborhoods, such as Praia Nova, were hit hardest. Shacks were torn apart by the storm. Many fishermen also lost their boats.

In the city center, millions of miles of canals and tidal structures were built just a few years ago with the help of German development aid. German development bank KfW contributed €13 million to finance the construction work.

"The rain started on the day of the cyclone," says Eduardo dos Santos, who operates the city's main lock. "So we opened the floodgates so that the water could flow back into the sea. Had we not done so, the flooding in the city would have been worse."

"We are used to flooding," says the mayor of Beira, Daviz Simango. "But this kind of cyclone was new for us so we have to respond now." Simango has organized a donor conference in June, where he hopes to raise more money to better protect the city from the effects of climate change.

The city administration is eager to restore order before the donor conference in June. Parts of the city now have access to electricity and running water. But not all areas have been given the all-clear.

Volunteers like Magdalena Louis help with the ongoing reconstruction work. She has been on duty for weeks and is only given lunch every day in return. "I just want our city to be clean again," she says. "Nobody has to pay me for that."

Aid organizations from all over the world are maintaining a presence in the city. Thousands of people are still living in tents and rely on food donations. The health situation remains tense: Cholera has broken out and cases of malaria may also increase.

Outside Beira, large swathes of crops were also destroyed by the storm. "All of the corn, all of the rice…everything is gone," says farmer Elisa Jaque. The 61-year-old is already re-planting seeds. But she won't be able to feed herself and her family again for at least six months.

There are also signs that Beira is slowly returning to normalcy. A friendly match between local football teams attracts hundreds of spectators — although the stadium roof was another victim of the cyclone.

Those who couldn't afford tickets for the football match found creative solutions. They parked minibuses and vans around the stadium and used them as makeshift grandstands. This scene will be repeated for next week's match. Another step towards normalcy in Beira.