Lilongwe, March 15, (dpa/GNA) – The death toll in Malawi due to the exceptionally long-lasting Tropical Cyclone Freddy, has risen to 190, the country’s disaster management authority said on Tuesday.
The cyclone has left a trail of devastation in south-east Africa for the second time in a month since Friday night. Neighbouring Mozambique and the island nation of Madagascar have also been affected.
In Malawi, nearly 800 people were injured due to heavy rains, floods and landslides, according to official figures. Another 37 people have been reported missing and at least 20,000 people have been left homeless, according to the disaster management agency.
On Monday evening, the state television station MBC had reported 99 deaths, following which President Lazarus Chakwera declared a state of emergency for the south of Malawi.
In Mozambique, at least 21 people have died since the weekend, according to the Health Ministry. There have also been deaths in the island state of Madagascar. According to official figures, a total of 238 people have died in the three countries in the past four weeks.
Freddy first made landfall on February 21 in Madagascar. From there, the storm moved on to Mozambique and then back across the Indian Ocean. On March 11 it reached Mozambique for the second time and then moved on to Malawi.
According to the World Meteorological 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. Storm Freddy was declared a cyclone on February 6.
Southern Africa is currently in cyclone season, which can bring rain and severe storms until March or April.
GNA