By Khulile Thwala
Tropical Cyclone Freddy is expected to hit Madagascar on Tuesday, February 21, and Mozambique on Friday.
The South African Weather Services (SAWS) says it is highly unlikely to have any major impact on South Africa. As of February 19, SAWS said that Freddy has strengthened overnight to a very intense Tropical Cyclone category, equivalent to a category 5 Hurricane.
Read More: Flood warning as Cyclone Freddy zeroes in
It has been predicted that the cyclone will make its first landfall in Madagascar on Tuesday, February 21, and is then expected to re-enter the Mozambican Channel, where it is expected to rejuvenate its energy and progress towards the Mozambican coastline.
The second landfall is expected over Mozambique, near the city of Beira, in the early hours of Friday, February 24.
“Thereafter, Freddy is expected to continue on a north-westerly trajectory towards northern Zimbabwe. In its current projected path, Freddy is highly unlikely to have any major impact on South Africa,” said SAWS.
The SADC region is still picking up the pieces following torrential rains that have left devastation in their wake. Eswatini is still trying to cost the damage caused by the rains with some roads having been washed away and people’s houses destroyed.
This weekend, some people were receiving help from members of the Baphalali Eswatini Red Cross Society (BERCS). The organisation provided tents for people as they wait for permanent solutions. Neighboring South Africa is also busy with mop-up operations.
Read More: Red Cross comes to rescue of 85-year-old woman
Search and rescue organisations are still hard at work searching for those swept away and assisting the displaced. On Saturday, they recovered the body of a woman who was washed away in the South of Johannesburg.
Read More: Joburg EMS recover body of woman swept away by floods
Warning: Yellow level 4 warning for severe thunderstorms with strong, damaging winds expected over parts of Mpumalanga tonight 19 February 2023. pic.twitter.com/SjPzb0ic9p
— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) February 19, 2023
