Cyclone Freddy toll hits 400 in Malawi, Mozambique

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Tropical Cyclone Freddy has killed more than 400 people in Malawi, Mozambique and Madagascar since it first made landfall in Africa in late February and circled back to hit the region for a second time over the weekend.

The storm has now dissipated, but heavy rains are expected to continue in parts of Malawi and will likely cause more floods around lakeshore areas, the ministry of natural resources and climate change said in a statement.

In Mozambique, some villages have been completely cut off since the cyclone made its second landfall on Saturday.

According to spokesperson for Mozambique’s disaster relief agency, Paulo Tomas, he revealed that they have  mobilised boats and other means to search and rescue people He added that there are lots of communities stranded after this time that  are starving and in need of a proper meal and medical assistance.

According to government figures, over 53 people have died in Mozambique and 326 in Malawi since the weekend, The storm had already killed about 27 people in Madagascar and Mozambique before it lashed Mozambique a second time

Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera visited Queen Elizabeth hospital and prayed with flood victims. The storm injured at least 700 people in Malawi at the last count

As rain continued to fall, some had to bury their dead.

Some Blantyre residents said they wished they had heeded warnings to flee before the cyclone hit, but they had not understood the gravity of the situation and now had nowhere to go.

Cyclone Freddy is one of the longest-lasting tropical cyclones ever recorded and one of the deadliest recorded in Africa in recent years.

 

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