Tropical storm Freddy killed more than 130 people in southern Africa in a month. The storm made landfall for the second time last weekend and once again wreaked havoc.
Exact figures about the damage and the number of victims are difficult to give, because the electricity supply and telephone lines are damaged in many places. At least 99 people were killed in Malawi, including 85 in the town of Blantyre, according to the government. The total death toll from the storm in Mozambique, Malawi and Madagascar is believed to be around 136.
At least 60 deaths have been delivered to Blantyre hospital in Malawi since yesterday afternoon, Doctors Without Borders told Reuters news agency. About 200 injured people would also be treated in hospital.
They were hit by falling trees, or hit by landslides and floods.
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EPAA woman repairs clothes after the devastation from Storm Freddy in Quelimane, Mozambique -
EPAA man tries to recover some belongings from a house destroyed by Storm Freddy in Quelimane, Mozambique -
AFPA landslide in Blantyre in Malawi caused by storm Freddy
Tropical Storm Freddy made landfall on the African continent for the second time last weekend, in Mozambique. There, the storm caused, among other things, flooding in cities along the coast.
In Mozambique, more rain fell in the past four weeks than the average for a year. Freddy then moved inland towards Malawi, with continued torrential rains causing landslides.
The first time Freddy came ashore was at the end of last month. Then 27 people died in Mozambique and the neighboring island state of Madagascar. The storm then moved back towards the sea and was re-energized by warm sea water.
Record-breaking storm
Freddy is one of the strongest storms ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere. It is likely to be the longest lasting tropical storm on record, says the United Nations World Meteorological Organization. Freddy has persisted for over 30 days. The previous record was a 31-day storm in 1994.
The UN estimates that Freddy could cause heavy rain and flooding in the region until tomorrow. Malawi is still recovering from previous tropical storms, Ana and Gombe, that hit the country just over a year ago. The consequences are also major in Mozambique. Nearly half a million people are in need of assistance there, according to the UN.
The region is also facing an “extremely worrying” outbreak of cholera, according to UNICEF. That outbreak is caused by poor water and sanitation, ongoing conflicts and the weak health care system. The extreme weather conditions have further worsened the situation.
- Storm Freddy makes landfall in Africa for the second time: at least forty dead in Malawi
- Cholera death toll in Malawi rises above 1,000
- Malawi’s worst cholera outbreak in 10 years, now more than 400 dead
