The cyclone is projected to weaken as it barrels through southern Africa but still poses serious risk of heavy rainfall to the neighboring nations of Zimbabwe, South Africa, Zambia, Malawi and Botswana, according to the regional weather center in Reunion.
2 WEEKS AFTER TROPICAL CYCLONE CHENESO KILLS 30 IN MADAGASCAR, THE COUNTRY BRACES FOR CYCLONE FREDDY
Tropical Cyclone Freddy, center right, is shown above Mozambique on Feb. 24, 2023. The tropical cyclone dropped "dangerous and exceptional rainfall levels" over Mozambique. (NOAA via AP)
STORM CHENESO PICKS UP IN MADAGASCAR, MORE FLOODING TO COME
"There is a potential risk that months’ worth of rainfall may fall in the space of a few days, causing widespread flooding in an area which already has saturated soils and high river basin levels from unusually heavy seasonal rains," The U.N. weather agency warned in a statement.
Anne-Claire Fontan, a tropical cyclone scientist at the U.N. weather agency, said Mozambique is already reeling from floods and the cyclone will compound an already volatile scenario.
Freddy had waned slightly when it plowed through Madagascar on Tuesday night, killing at least four people and displacing more than 16,000, before regaining strength over the ocean on Wednesday night and on Thursday.