Cyclone Freddy in southeastern Africa
Cyclone Freddy repeatedly crossed the region, bringing destructive winds, floods and landslides.
- When
- February–March 2023
- Where
- Madagascar, Mozambique and Malawi
Cyclone Freddy repeatedly crossed the region, bringing destructive winds, floods and landslides.
Background
An unusually persistent storm
Freddy travelled across the southern Indian Ocean and affected Madagascar and Mozambique before renewed movement brought further impacts. Its long life and changing path exposed communities to repeated threats rather than one brief coastal landfall.[2]
What happened
- March 2023
Rainfall devastated southern Malawi
Flooding and debris flows struck populated slopes and valleys, destroying homes and infrastructure. The inland disaster showed that weakening winds do not end a tropical system's capacity to kill: intense rainfall can remain devastating.[3]
- February–March 2023
An exceptional track and duration
In 2024, the World Meteorological Organization confirmed Freddy as the longest-lasting tropical cyclone on record, at 36 days. The storm crossed the Indian Ocean from near Australia to southern Africa and repeatedly threatened land. Its extraordinary duration is separate from the country-by-country accounting of deaths and damage.[4]
Impact & evidence
679 deaths and 537 missing
The government's assessment recorded 679 deaths, 537 missing people and more than 659,000 displaced in Malawi. These figures are not a total for every country affected by Freddy, and the assessment recorded the missing separately from confirmed deaths.[3]
Aftermath & legacy
A prolonged recovery
The disaster disrupted health services, farming, education and transport while Malawi also faced a cholera emergency. Rebuilding required replacement of washed-out roads and bridges, the restoration of water supplies, support for farmers and housing for displaced families. The April 2023 assessment records Malawi’s losses separately from the damage in Mozambique and Madagascar.[3]
Sources & image credits (4)
- Wikipedia — Cyclone Freddy ↗
- WMO: Freddy reaches Madagascar and Mozambique ↗
- Government of Malawi: post-disaster needs assessment ↗
- An exceptional track and duration — source ↗
NASA/Suomi-NPP · Public domain Image source ↗
