Cyclone Idai's death toll rises to 713, hundreds of thousands displaced

Hundreds of thousands of people are in need of food, water and shelter after Cyclone Idai battered Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi.

As of Wednesday, at least 713 people had been reported killed by the storm, the flooding it caused and heavy rains before it hit. Following is an outline of the disaster, according to government and United Nations officials:

MOZAMBIQUE

Cyclone Idai landed on the night of March 14 near the port city of Beira, bringing heavy winds and rains. Two major rivers, the Buzi and the Pungue, burst their banks, submerging entire villages and leaving bodies floating in the water.

Number killed: 468

Number injured: 1,500

Houses damaged or destroyed: 33,600

Crops damaged: 500,000 hectares

Number affected: 1.85 million

ZIMBABWE

On March 16, the storm hit eastern Zimbabwe, where it flattened homes and flooded communities in the Chimanimani and Chipinge districts.

Number killed: 185, according to government. The U.N. migration agency puts the death toll at 259.

Number injured: 200

Number displaced: 16,000 households

Number affected: 250,000

MALAWI

Before it arrived, the storm brought heavy rains and flooding to the lower Shire River districts of Chikwawa and Nsanje, in Malawi’s south. The rains continued after the storm hit, compounding the misery of tens of thousands of people.

Number killed: 60

Number injured: 672

Number displaced: 19,328 households

Number affected: 868,895