Tropical Storm Freddy has caused devastation in southern Africa for the second time in a month, killing over 100 people and injuring many more.
It is one of the strongest storms ever recorded in the southern hemisphere and could be the longest-lasting tropical cyclone, according to the World Meteorological Organization.
The storm first hit central Mozambique on Saturday, causing widespread flooding and damaging buildings in the port of Quelimane. It then moved inland towards Malawi, where landslides and torrential rains caused further damage and loss of life.
The full extent of the damage and loss of life is not yet clear, as power and phone signals were cut off in some affected areas.
As of March 14, the total number of people killed by Storm Freddy in Mozambique, Malawi, and Madagascar since it first made landfall last month is around 136.
In Malawi, the central hospital in Blantyre received at least 60 bodies and treated around 200 injured people. Falling trees, landslides, and flash floods caused many of the injuries. Power supply and communication networks were also disrupted in some areas.
In Mozambique, at least ten people died in Zambezia province, and the situation remains critical due to a lack of communication with all regions.
Humanitarian agencies in Quelimane, Mozambique, are struggling to deal with the scale of the disaster. Destroyed buildings and clinics, homes with roofs torn off, and widespread flooding have created a risk of waterborne diseases.
The storm has caused severe damage to crops and raised concerns about the spread of cholera in Malawi, which has been battling the deadliest outbreak in its history.
Scientists have linked fossil fuel-driven climate change to the increasing strength of tropical storms, as oceans absorb heat from greenhouse gas emissions.
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