Edited News | UNOG , WMO
Exceptional rainfall expected in Mozambique as tropical storm Freddy roars in, warns WMO
Flooding could impact 1.75 million people in the southeastern African country
Tropical cyclone Freddy, which has been sweeping across the Indian Ocean for several days, killed seven people in Madagascar. It is now projected to make landfall in Mozambique this Friday, 24 February, as a severe tropical storm, warned the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
“Tropical Cyclone Freddy has hit Madagascar with strong winds and high seas and it's now literally threatening Mozambique with - not so much winds here - but its very dangerous and exceptional rainfall levels,” explained Clare Nullis, WMO spokesperson at the press briefing in Geneva.
There is a potential risk that months’ worth of rainfall may fall in the space of a few days, according to estimates from the WMO’s Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre in the neighboring French island of La Réunion. “Météo France issued a warning of intense rainfall south of Beira, which is close to landfall, exceeding 200 to 300 millimeters and locally 400 millimeters in 72 hours. That is immense,” alerted Ms. Nullis.
Some 400,000 people are living in the areas of Freddy's projected trajectory, but the flooding could affect up to 1.75 million people, according to the Mozambique's National Institute for Disaster Management. Humanitarians are particularly concerned because the rainy season that started in October last year has left the soils in Mozambique saturated. “The river basin levels are already past alert level because there have been very heavy seasonal rainfalls so far,” said Ms. Nullis. “We shouldn't underestimate the threat of this additional rain.”
Tropical storm Freddy will continue to generate massive rain and flooding in the southeastern part of Africa, threatening to further worsen the cholera crisis, the UN World health Organization (WHO) has warned. Mozambique is already struggling to contain an outbreak that has affected more than 5,200 people since September 2022. All six provinces currently affected by cholera are flood-prone areas reported WHO's Cholera team lead, Dr Philippe Barboza. Over the past two weeks, cholera cases increased sharply by 17 per cent in the country.
Ends
STORY: Tropical Storm Freddy Mozambique Threat
TRT: 01’47”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
RELEASE DATE: 24 February 2023
HYBRID PRESS BRIEFING
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
Institutionalised forced labour by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea constitutes grave violations of human rights – UN report
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
Time is running out for starving civilians in Sudan, UN humanitarians warned on Tuesday, while talks involving the country’s warring parties continue in Geneva this week.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
DRC faces a severe humanitarian crisis with 25M in need and rising conflict-related issues.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA
A gimmer of good news emerged from Gaza on Tuesday as patients returned to at a newly reopened UN health centre in Khan Younis, six months after it was severely damaged and forced to close by heavy fighting, the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) said.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN condemns attacks on Kyiv hospitals, calls for immediate action to protect civilians.
1
1
2
Edited News | WHO
In Gaza, soaring temperatures, hunger and unsanitary conditions present an ever more deadly threat to a population under constant attack, UN humanitarians warned on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , WMO , IFRC
Hurricane Beryl smashes into Caribbean, turns sights on Mexico As Hurricane Beryl’s destructive path shifted to Mexico on Friday after roiling the Caribbean, UN agencies and partners said that the emergency response was underway, before warning that a very long and damaging hurricane season looks increasingly likely.
1
1
2
Edited News | IOM , mcc , UNHCR
Refugees and migrants continue to face extreme forms of violence, exploitation and death on sea and on land across Africa as they attempt to leave the continent, UN agencies said on Friday, in an appeal to border authorities to do more to protect them.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk at the 56th Human Rigths Council, made the following update on the situation of human rights in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA , WHO
New evacuation orders issued by the Israeli army for areas in southern Gaza are expected to impact 250,000 people, including eastern Khan Younis and Rafah, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA , WHO
Gaza: People are desperate, they need everything, says UN aid agency Panic and desperation now grip ordinary Gazans struggling to survive, UN humanitarians said on Friday, amid fuel shortages of fuel and dwindling supplies that have prevented aid teams from doing their job.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA
UN aid teams and partner organizations remain deeply committed to delivering lifesaving supplies into Gaza, despite the increasing dangers of working there, the Organization’s top aid official said on Wednesday.