Mozambique: LAM cancels flights due to Tropical Storm Filipo

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Mozambique: LAM cancels flights due to Tropical Storm Filipo

10:08 CAT | 13 Mar 2024

Photo: Lusa

The Mozambican airline LAM announced today the cancellation of all flights this morning in the country, due to the tropical storm “Filipo”, which has been affecting southern Mozambique since Tuesday.

“They will probably be carried out in the afternoon, as soon as the weather conditions show notable improvements”, said the state airline, in a statement.

Due to the “weather situation”, LAM already had to cancel some flights on Tuesday and one of the company’s aircraft was forced to “land at an alternative destination”.

After the province of Inhambane, the effects of severe tropical storm Filipo have been felt since Tuesday night in Maputo, with reports of several floods and affected houses in the capital.

Mozambican authorities warned on Tuesday night to adopt precautionary measures in view of the forecast of heavy rains, particularly in Maputo, following the severe tropical storm affecting the country.

The National Emergency Operation Center (CENOE) called for the conservation of food, school materials and documents in safe places, checking and seeking safe shelter with the authorities, reinforcing the security of roofs and windows of houses with resistant material.

CENOE also recommended, in a statement, that citizens remain attentive to information from the competent authorities, that they remove small boats from the water to safe locations, and pay attention to the elderly, children and people with disabilities.

The National Institute of Meteorology (INAM) confirmed that Filipo made landfall at 05:00 on Tuesday, through the district of Inhassoro, in Inhambane, heading southwest, namely to Maputo.

“Over the next 24 hours, the system will continue to move progressively in a southwest direction, which may also affect the weather characterized by very heavy rain, maximum wind of 90 km/h and gusts of up to 120 km/h”, reads a warning from INAM.

Storm Filipo left almost 100,000 people without electricity in Mozambique, in addition to causing the destruction of homes and other infrastructure in the affected regions.

Mozambican authorities estimate that around 525,000 people could be affected by storm Filipo which is FFECTING the provinces of Sofala, in central Mozambique, Inhambane, Gaza and Maputo.

Mozambique is considered one of the countries most severely affected by climate change in the world, cyclically facing floods and tropical cyclones during the rainy season, which runs between October and April.

Source: Lusa