Cyclone Freddy death toll rises to 676

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According to the authorities, the chance that the 537 missing persons will be found is small. The search for survivors continues, but the number of victims is expected to be around 1,200. Many rural areas have been further cut off from the rest of the country due to flooding and mudslides, the local civil protection agency said. Some areas can only be reached by helicopter or boat.

On March 11, Freddy landed in Southeast Africa for the second time in a month, wreaking havoc in Malawi and neighboring Mozambique. Originally, Freddy had landed for the first time on February 21 – in the island state of Madagascar. From there, the storm moved on to Mozambique and then back across the Indian Ocean. There were also deaths in Mozambique and Madagascar.

Authorities say Freddy has forced more than half a million people to flee in hardest-hit Malawi. Approximately 1,300 seriously injured people are being treated in hospitals. In Malawi, according to aid organization Save the Children, almost 500,000 children are currently out of school.

The storm is likely the longest-lived cyclone since weather records began, according to the World Weather Organization (WMO). Freddy was declared a cyclone on February 6. Southern Africa is currently in cyclone season, which can bring rain and severe storms into March or April.

(SDA)

Source: Blick