Cyclone “Freddy” swept across south-east Africa twice within a few weeks. It destroys houses and streets, leaving at least 20,000 people homeless. People are also dying in Mozambique and Madagascar.
A prolonged tropical storm has left a trail of devastation in south-east Africa. At least 190 people have died in Malawi, the country’s civil protection agency said. Neighboring Mozambique and the island nation of Madagascar are also affected. The Cyclone freddy had first reached Malawi in late February, then moved on to Mozambique and then came back across the Indian Ocean, reaching Mozambique and Malawi again last Friday.
According to official figures, almost 800 people have been injured in Malawi due to heavy rainfall, flooding and landslides. 37 other people are missing, at least 20,000 have become homeless, according to the civil protection authority. On Monday evening, the state television broadcaster MBC reported 99 fatalities. President Lazarus Chakwera then declared a disaster for the hardest hit region, southern Malawi.
According to the Ministry of Health, at least eight people have died in Mozambique since the weekend. There were also deaths in the island state of Madagascar. According to official information, a total of 225 people have died in the three countries in the past four weeks.
According to the World Weather Organization (WMO), the storm, which has been raging for more than a month, is likely to be the longest-lasting cyclone since weather records began. freddy was declared a cyclone on February 6. Southern Africa is currently in cyclone season which can bring rain and severe storms through March or April.