At least 500 people have died in Malawi, Mozambique and Madagascar in southeastern Africa as Tropical Cyclone Freddy hit the region on Saturday 11 March. In Malawi alone there are at least 438 dead, while in Mozambique there are 67 and in Madagascar 17.
Cyclone Freddy had already devastated southern Africa in late February, affecting Mozambique, Madagascar and the island of Réunion. It then returned to hit land, regaining strength over the Mozambique Channel and causing a great deal of damage.
Local governments have built hundreds of emergency centers to welcome people whose homes were destroyed by the cyclone: in Mozambique, according to President Filipe Nyusi, there are at least 50,000 displaced, while in Malawi it is only known that there are dozens thousands. The number of deaths is expected to continue to rise: among the various concerns are the fact that both countries were dealing with an epidemic of cholera before the cyclone hit, and there are fears that flooding could worsen the spread of the disease.
