Malawi’s President declared a State of Disaster in the southern region. This as the death toll from tropical cyclone Freddy increased to over 100. Heavy rains damaged vital infrastructure and power supplies.
In parts of the nation, people resort to shovels or their bare hands to dig through the mud in hopes of finding survivors. All this while Cyclone Freddy pours torrential rain onto their backs.
Freddy ripped through Southern Africa at the weekend, for the second time in a few weeks. It first hit in late February. Malawi bears the brunt of the assault, counting at least 99 deaths after mudslides washed away houses and occupants.
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Measuring the extent of the damage in Malawi
President Lazarus Chakwera says he is gravely concerned about the devastation the storm is bringing to most districts. The Malawi president is currently in Qatar. It is unclear if he will cut the trip short and return home to deal with the crisis.
Many parts of Malawi are in darkness. The Electricity Supply Corp of Malawi is struggling to restore power. The energy utility warns that power generation would be unstable, as it would need to temporarily shut down its hydropower stations to prevent muddy waters from damaging turbines.
Vast areas of crop lands and livestock were washed away, according to the Department of Disaster Management Affairs, who will quantify the extent of the damage. Malawi’s commercial capital of Blantyre has reported seen 85 deaths, and another 134 people are injured and 16 are missing.
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Tropical Storm Freddy claimed more than a 100 lives in Malawi and Mozambique as it as it ripped through southern Africa for the second time in a month https://t.co/6kNf0alwbu pic.twitter.com/Y1O1A6VUtx
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 14, 2023
Tropical Storm Freddy claimed more than a 100 lives in Malawi and Mozambique as it as it ripped through southern Africa for the second time in a month — Reuters (@Reuters)
The growing impact of tropical cyclones
Freddy appears to be the longest-lasting tropical cyclone. It was first named on February 6. It brought with it heavy rains and mayhem to a number of African nations like Madagascar and Mozambique.
The last cyclones to cross the entire southern Indian Ocean was Leon-Eline and Hudah in 2000. This recent cyclone has piled more concerns on Malawi. The nation is already grappling with the deadliest cholera outbreak in its history – killing more than 1600 people since last year.
In neighbouring Mozambique at least 10 people are reportedly dead and 14 were wounded. The Mozambique National Institute for Disaster Management says the damage from the storm’s second landfall was worse than expected.
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