More than 400 people have now died in East Africa as a result of the unusually long-lived cyclone “Freddy”. Malawi’s death toll has risen from 225 to 326 since Wednesday, President Lazarus Chakwera said today during a visit to the devastated southern Blantyre region. More than 183,000 people have been made homeless by floods and landslides.
The President called for international aid as rescuers continued to search for survivors. “Freddy” had already hit East Africa at the end of February, but initially only caused minor damage in Malawi. The cyclone then returned with even greater force and more rain in a rarely occurring “loop path” over the Indian Ocean.
At least 73 people died in Mozambique on Wednesday, and 49,000 people lost their roofs over their heads as a result of the cyclone. 17 people died in Madagascar.
