Tens of thousands have also been forced from their homes, in Mozambique, Malawi and Madagascar
The toll of tropical storm Ana, which hit several countries in southern Africa, climbed to 77 dead and tens of thousands of inhabitants were forced to leave their homes, according to the latest reports given Thursday, January 27 by the authorities of the Mozambique, Malawi and Madagascar.
The governments and relief agencies of the three countries are still assessing the extent of the damage caused by the heavy rains which began last week on the coast bordering the Indian Ocean and in the Mozambique Channel. Some 48 people were killed in Madagascar, 18 in Mozambique and 11 in Malawi. The storm also affected Zimbabwe but no fatalities were reported.
Collapsed houses
Tens of thousands of houses were damaged, some collapsed under the weight of the liters of water that fell in a few days, victims found themselves trapped. Bridges have collapsed over flooded rivers, carrying away cars and their occupants. The floods also washed away livestock and drowned fields, destroying the livelihood of some residents.
In Madagascar, 130,000 people have been forced to leave their homes. In the capital Antananarivo, gymnasiums and schools have been requisitioned and transformed into emergency accommodation.
After crossing the Indian Ocean, Storm Ana slammed into northern and central Mozambique, where it destroyed around 10,000 homes, dozens of schools, hospitals and downed power lines. The government and the United Nations estimate the number of people affected in several provinces at 500,000.
A new storm
A new storm, named Batsirai and which formed in the Indian Ocean, is expected to hit the country in the coming days, according to the Mozambique meteorological service. It “could develop into a serious tropical storm in the coming days,” according to a United Nations statement. Four to six cyclones are expected in the region by the end of March, the end of the rainy season.
According to Myrta Kaulard, UN representative in Mozambique, “the situation is extremely worrying” and “the vulnerability is very, very high”. In neighboring Malawi, the state declared a state of natural disaster, with power cuts earlier this week. Power was partially restored on Thursday.
The flash floods forced power companies to shut down generators. The supply has gradually resumed for two days but many electrical structures have been destroyed. “Our priority is to restore power to health facilities and schools,” the Electricity Supply Commission of Malawi (Escom) said in a statement.
Southern Africa and particularly Mozambique have been hit several times in recent years by violent storms and cyclones which have caused serious material damage and displaced a large number of people.