(Security): Southern African Countries Picking up the Pieces after Cyclone Freddy

 

More than 163,300 people have been affected by rainfall and flooding generated by Cyclone Freddy across southern and central Mozambique by February 28, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs confirmed.

After spending three weeks moving westwards across the Indian Ocean before affecting Mauritius, Réunion and Madagascar, Freddy made landfall in Mozambique on February 24, 2023. Sugar shortages and sky-high prices are foreseen in Zimbabwe after a part of the Hippo Valley sugarcane plantation, owned by Tongaat, was destroyed by a hailstorm.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that efficient preparedness measures by Mozambican institutions and people have so far prevented loss of life due to storm Freddy, but noted that storm-induced rainfall in central and southern Mozambique and surrounding countries is adding to current flooding, threatening critical road infrastructure, crops, housing, public buildings like schools and health facilities.

OCHA says flooding is increasing the risk of cholera at a time when the country is struggling to contain a cholera outbreak.

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