Tropical cyclone slams into flood stricken Mozambique by Sean Batty
A massive tropical cyclone struck the shores of southern Mozambique on Thursday afternoon with winds gusting up to 170mph, destroying homes, causing blackouts and injuring many.
Cyclone Favio, the strongest to hit the southern African country continued moving inland and is destined for the Zambezi River valley where it is likely to worsen flooding. Severe flooding in the last few months has already killed at least 40 people and forced thousands to evacuate their homes.
The first victim of the storm was the town of Vilanculos, some 500 miles north of the capital Maputo, where it destroyed many of the tourist town's buildings and market areas. Roads were awash with flood waters, cutting of some parts and trees were uprooted all around the town as the storm raged overhead. Around twenty people have been injured in the town, but this is expected to rise as nearly a thousand people were either still in the town's hospital or jail at the time. Latest reports from the area have not told of any deaths.
The National Meteorology Institute, INAM, said Favio's strong winds and rains were concentrated in the province of Inhambe but were felt as far away as Xai-Xai, the capital of nearby Gaza province.
On Friday morning the storm continues to push into Mozambique, but is dramatically decreasing in intensity, with sustained winds during the early hours falling to around 60mph, compared to the winds of 125mph as it smashed into the coast yesterday. Even though the storms intensity is waning, it is not so much the wind but the rain which is a problem. This will cause additional flooding to a country which has already been devastated by relentless rain and floods this winter.
The storm is expected to take heavy rain into Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe, further swelling the tributaries that feed the Zambezi.
Further east on the island of Madagascar Tropical Cyclone Gamede is expected to pound the north with winds over 140mph later on Saturday. The National Meteorology Institute in Mozambique will be keeping a close eye on its track, in case it steers their way.
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