Severe tropical storm in Madagascar affects weather in northern and central Mozambique

A strong tropical storm forming in northeastern Madagascar is affecting the weather in central and northern Mozambique, causing “moderate to locally heavy” rainfall, the National Institute of Meteorology warned in a statement.

The severe storm, dubbed Gamane, is the result of a low pressure system forming in northeast Madagascar and although it is not moving towards the Mozambique Channel, it could develop into a tropical cyclone in the coming hours.

“Severe Tropical Storm Gamane is moving south of the basin and has the potential to develop into a tropical cyclone in the coming hours. Its interaction with the Intertropical Convergence Zone continues to influence weather with locally heavy moderate precipitation in the central and northern regions of the country,” the document says.

The National Institute of Meteorology warned on Sunday of moderate to heavy rainfall starting on Tuesday in Cabo Delgado, Nampula and Niassa in northern Mozambique after bad weather hit the south of the country, killing four people and killing 12,740 people. suffered, in addition to the flooding of thousands of houses.

Bad weather affecting the provinces of Maputo, Gaza and Inhambane also led to the total or partial destruction of 11 houses and the flooding of a further 9,985, with authorities setting up a total of 27 reception centers in the three provinces, housing at least 7,658 people.

Mozambique is considered one of the countries hardest hit by global climate change, experiencing cyclical floods and tropical cyclones during the rainy season.

Overall data from the National Institute for Disaster Management and Reduction (INGD) indicates 138 deaths and more than 130,000 casualties in the current monsoon season, which runs from October to April.