Rabat – Tropical cyclone Freddy, which has been ravaging parts of southeastern Africa since February, has now taken more than 500 lives according to authorities in Malawi, Mozambique, and Madagascar.
Malawi, which suffered the highest death toll at 438, prompted the country’s President Lazarus Chakwera to declare a 14-day mourning period.
Approximately 350,000 people have been affected by the heavy rainfall and floods, with tens of thousands being left homeless and hundreds rushing to evacuation centers that are being set up across the country.
Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi also stated that 67 people died in his country while 50,000 more have been displaced.
At least 17 people lost their lives in Madagascar as well, with the death toll expected to increase in the coming days.
The World Meteorological Organization said the cyclone is likely the longest-ever in recorded history, as it has been ravaging the region since February.
Rescue workers have been slow to transport people from the flooded islands to the mainland, with hundreds having to seek refuge in trees after their homes were washed away.
The record-breaking cyclone has also reignited fears over climate change, with some expressing concerns that this could be more than a one-off event.
The cyclone is unprecedented due to the scale of its journey to the African coast, having started near the Australian coast and traveling over 8,000 kilometers in the Indian Ocean to reach Southeast Africa.
The cyclone’s journey that exceeded 40 days has beaten the record of Hurricane John in 1994, which traveled for 31 days before winding down.
While no studies or research have yet linked the cyclone with climate change, experts remain alarmed as the number of such phenomena in the world has been increasing.
