Chalane caused seven deaths, affected over 73,000 people – AIM report

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Chalane caused seven deaths, affected over 73,000 people – AIM report

11:17 CAT | 08 Jan 2021

Photo: Livenews48

Tropical cyclone Chalane which last week battered the central Mozambican provinces of Manica and Sofala caused seven deaths and affected 73,500 people.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday in Maputo, Xavier Ngulele of the National Emergency Operational Centre (CENOE) said the cyclone also destroyed 12,000 houses and damaged a further 18,000.

CENOE sheltered 7,000 people in 26 accommodation centres. “As weather conditions improved, the majority of those affected returned to their homes. Presently, the accommodation centres house 1,600 people,” Ngulele said.

Ngulele added that the cyclone destroyed 475 classrooms and the situation will affect about 57,000 pupils.

Another cyclone, named Danilo, has formed in the western Indian Ocean and, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC), operated by the United States Navy, it was 906 nautical miles (about 1,700 kilometres) east-northeast of Mauritius on Thursday morning, heading towards Mauritius, Reunion and Madagascar at a speed of nine knots (17 kilometres an hour). However, the JTWC believes it will weaken and dissipate before reaching the coast of Madagascar.

Chalane formed off the east coast of Madagascar on 22 December and struck the island on 28 December. It weakened as it crossed central Madagascar, but intensified again when it reached the Mozambique Channel, It made landfall north of Beira on 30 December.

The wind speeds were only about half of those experienced during the previous cyclone to hit Beira, which was Idai, in March 2019.

Source: AIM