Before Eline struck Mozambique, the worst floods since 1951 had affected the nation since January, killing about 150 people. The additional rainfall and flooding from Eline created the country's worst natural disaster in a century. The combined effects destroyed over of crop fields and killed 40,000 cattle. Eline's passage disrupted ongoing relief efforts, with the port in Beira blocked for two weeks due to five sunken ships. High levels along the Limpopo River isolated the town of Xai-Xai, with water levels along the river reaching as high as above normal in some areas, as well as wide. A dam broke along the river, flooding the town of Chokwe in the middle of the night and trapping several unprepared residents. About 55 people drowned in Sofala Province after rescue helicopters arrived too late to save them. Around 20,000 people in the capital city of Maputo lost their homes. In addition to the floods, strong winds blew away many roofs and some entire houses made of mud. The combined effects of the preceding floods and Eline left about 300,000 people homeless, about 700 deaths, and damage estimated at $500 million (2000 USD). The cyclone and the floods disrupted much of the economic progress Mozambique had made in the 1990s since the end of its civil war.