136 killed as Storm Freddy hits Malawi and Mozambique

Tropical Storm Freddy has caused significant damage and loss of life in Mozambique and Malawi, killing over 100 people and injuring many more.

This storm is one of the strongest ever recorded in the southern hemisphere and may be the longest-lasting tropical cyclone, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

The storm hit central Mozambique on Saturday, causing widespread flooding and ripping roofs off buildings in the port of Quelimane before moving inland towards Malawi.

The full extent of the damage and loss of life is still unknown in some parts of the affected areas due to power and communication outages.

Since it first made landfall last month, the storm has killed a total of about 136 people in Mozambique, Malawi, and Madagascar.

About 100 of them in Malawi alone.

The storm has caused significant destruction to homes and infrastructure, including clinics and major hydro power stations.

The situation is critical in Zambezia province in Mozambique, where there is no communication with all regions.

The storm has exacerbated existing challenges, including the deadliest cholera outbreak in Malawi’s history, and UN agencies have warned that the situation could worsen.

The increasing strength of tropical storms is linked to fossil fuel-driven climate change, with oceans absorbing heat from greenhouse gas emissions and transferring heat energy to the atmosphere through warm seawater evaporation.