Tropical Cyclone Freddy hit the Southern part of Africa for the second time in a month bringing a total death toll to more than 220 persons in Malawi, Mozambique and Madagascar, according to Malawi’s government.
Meteorologists say the month-long storm has broken at least one record and could break two more as climate change causes warmer oceans to heat energy from the water surface is feeling stronger storms.
By Tuesday afternoon authorities counted 190 people dead in Malawi with hundreds or more injured and missing.
The official death toll in neighboring Mozambique stood at 20. Many of the dead were killed by mudslides in a hilly Blantyre, Malawi’s second biggest city. Bodies were still being brought out from the devastation.
As heavy rains continued to pummel the country, 584 people have been injured and 37 are still missing.
The scale of the damage and loss of life is still unknown as certain rescue operations continue. However, Malawi’s government says almost 60 000
people have been affected of which about 19 000 were displaced from their homes.
