International Desk : The death toll in devastating Cyclone Freddy in southeast Africa has risen to 522, according to authorities in Malawi, Mozambique and Madagascar.

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Disaster management authorities in Malawi said that the death toll had risen to 438. Malawi’s president, Lazarus Chakwera, declared a 14-day national mourning period on Thursday.

There are hundreds of evacuation centres set up across the country for survivors with tens of thousands in Malawi left homeless and approximately 345,000 people affected by the heavy rains, floods and landslides.

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The cyclone left a trail of devastation in southeast Africa. Neighbouring Mozambique and the island nation of Madagascar have also been affected.

In Mozambique, at least 67 people died, according to President Filipe Nyusi, with 50,000 more displaced.

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It is expected that the death toll in both nations will continue to climb. At least 17 people were killed in the island nation of Madagascar.

Cyclone Freddy dissipated over land late Wednesday after it made a second landfall in Mozambique and then Malawi over the weekend and caused mass devastation in several regions, including Malawi’s financial capital, Blantyre.

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Freddy first made landfall on February 21 in Madagascar. From there, the storm moved on to Mozambique and then back across the Indian Ocean. On March 11, it reached Mozambique for the second time and then moved on to Malawi.

Sun News/MR

Death devastating Cyclone Africa Malawi Madagascar

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