Umamah Bakharia | ub@radioislam.co.za

2 min read
17 March 2023 | 21:00 CAT

The death toll from Tropical Cyclone Freddy has surpassed 300 as the number continues to rise, with authorities in Mozambique and Malawi appealing for assistance to deal with the aftermath.

Picture: The New Humanitarian

The storm ripped through Southern Africa over the weekend for a second time after it first initially made landfall in late February. Meteorologists reported that this is one of the longest-lasting tropical cyclones ever recorded, and the deadliest in Africa in recent years.

Authorities have reported that least 53 people have died in Mozambique’s Zambezia province, with the possibility that the number could double.

Meanwhile, Malawian authorities have reported 225 dead so far, with hundreds more injured and some still missing.

Initially the storm had killed about 27 people in Madagascar and Mozambique before lashing Mozambique for a second time. This has led to continued rain and power outages which has hampered search and rescue efforts after the storm caused severe flooding, washing away of roads and farms with bodies and houses buried in mud.

Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera has called for 14 day mourning period for the victims while the government has pledged $1.5m in assistance after it reported that more than 20,000 households have been displaced by the mudslides and flooding.