Subscribe Login
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
  • Home
  • News
    • International News
  • Latest
  • Business
    • Business Bites
  • Cartoon
  • Games
  • Food Awards
  • Health
  • Entertainment
    • Bookends
  • Regional
  • Sports
    • Sports
    • World Cup
    • World Champs
    • Olympics
  • Videos
  • Career & Education
  • Classifieds
  • All Woman
  • Environment
  • Webinars
  • More
    • Football
    • Elections
    • Letters
    • Advertorial
    • Columns
    • Editorial
    • Supplements
  • Epaper
  • Design Week
Death toll climbs as Cyclone Freddy slams Malawi, Mozambique
A tree lays across a street in Quelimane, Mozambique Sunday, March 12, 2023. Record-breaking Cyclone Freddy made its second landfall in Mozambique Saturday night, pounding the southern African nation with heavy rains and disrupting transport and telecommunications services. (AP Photo)
Latest News
March 13, 2023

Death toll climbs as Cyclone Freddy slams Malawi, Mozambique

BLANTYRE, Malawi (AP) — An unrelenting Cyclone Freddy that is currently battering southern Africa has killed at least 56 people in Malawi and Mozambique since it struck the continent for a second time on Saturday night, authorities in both countries have confirmed.

Local police said 51 people in Malawi, including 36 in Chilobwe in the financial hub of Blantyre in the centre of the country have died, with several others missing or injured. Authorities in Mozambique reported that five people have been killed in the country since Saturday.

The deaths in Malawi include five members of a single family who died in Blantyre’s Ndirande township after Freddy’s destructive winds and heavy rains demolished their house, according to a police report. A three-year-old child who was “trapped in the debris” is also among the victims, with her parents among those reported missing, authorities also said.

“We suspect that this figure will rise as we are trying to compile one national report from our southwest, southeast and eastern police offices which cover the affected areas,” Malawi police spokesperson Peter Kalaya told the AP.

The cyclone lashed over Mozambique and Malawi over the weekend and into Monday. It’s the second time the record-breaking cyclone — which has been causing destruction in southern Africa since late February — made landfall in mainland Africa. It also pummelling the island states of Madagascar and Réunion as it traversed across the ocean.

The cyclone has intensified a record seven times and has the highest-ever recorded accumulated cyclone energy, or ACE, which is a measurement of how much energy a cyclone has released over time. Freddy recorded more energy over its lifetime than an entire typical U.S. hurricane season.

Freddy first developed near Australia in early February and travelled across the entire southern Indian Ocean. It’s set to be the longest-ever recorded tropical cyclone. The UN’s weather agency has convened an expert panel to determine whether it has broken the record set by Hurricane John in 1994 of 31 days.

Freddy made landfall in the seaport of Quelimane in Mozambique on Saturday where there are reports of damage to houses and farmlands, although the extent of the destruction is not yet clear. Telecommunications and other essential infrastructure are still cut off in much of the affected Zambezia province, impeding rescue and other humanitarian efforts.

French weather agency Météo-France’s regional tropical cyclone monitoring centre in Réunion warned Monday that “the heaviest rains will continue over the next 48 hours” as Freddy barrels on. Mozambique’s central provinces and Malawi have been identified as especially vulnerable to “floods and landslides in mountainous areas” by weather monitors.

Much of the damage experienced in Malawi is in homes built in areas prohibited by law such as in mountainous regions or near rivers where they are battling landslides, unprecedented flooding and rivers bursting their banks. The cyclone has forced the Malawian government to suspend schools in 10 districts in its southern region “as a precautionary measure.”

Freddy is expected to weaken and to exit back to sea on Wednesday, according to Météo-France.

{"website":"website"}{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
0 Comments · Make a comment

ALSO ON JAMAICA OBSERVER

Newcomers Tru Juice ambush Mt Pleasant for historic JPL win
Latest News, Sports
Newcomers Tru Juice ambush Mt Pleasant for historic JPL win
September 13, 2026
ST CATHERINE, Jamaica – Daniel Roberts and Rodave Murray both scored braces as newly promoted Tru Juice FC stunned Mt Pleasant FA 4-0 in their first-e...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
St Kitts PM confirms stroke, but recovering well
Latest News, Regional
St Kitts PM confirms stroke, but recovering well
September 13, 2026
FLORIDA, United States (CMC) – St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew confirmed Sunday that he had suffered a stroke late last month but t...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
‘Tittyman’ among two charged in early morning break-in
Latest News, News
‘Tittyman’ among two charged in early morning break-in
September 13, 2026
ST CATHERINE, Jamaica — Two men have been charged with burglary after allegedly breaking into a woman’s Old Harbour Bay home with a machete and trying...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
VaChikepe The Poet to release new album
Entertainment, Latest News
VaChikepe The Poet to release new album
September 13, 2026
On October 28, VaChikepe The Poet will release A Dollar, a seven-song album that hears him expressing his thoughts in English for the first time. The ...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Jefferson-Wooden, Bednarek claim classy Ultimate sprint doubles
Latest News, Sports
Jefferson-Wooden, Bednarek claim classy Ultimate sprint doubles
September 13, 2026
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AFP) — The United States (US) pair of Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Kenny Bednarek nailed Ultimate Championship sprint doubles after...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Kane edges Bayern past Elversberg in Bundesliga
Latest News, Sports
Kane edges Bayern past Elversberg in Bundesliga
September 13, 2026
BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — Harry Kane scored his first goal of the season to help Bayern Munich edge to a 2-1 win at promoted Elversberg in the Bundeslig...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Haaland fires 10-man Man City to famous win at Man Utd
Latest News, Sports
Haaland fires 10-man Man City to famous win at Man Utd
September 13, 2026
MANCHESTER, United Kingdom (AFP) — Erling Haaland fired 10-man Manchester City to a memorable 1-0 victory over Manchester United despite Phil Foden's ...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Bryan Levell and Ashanti Moore into 200m final at Ultimate Champs
Latest News, Sports
Bryan Levell and Ashanti Moore into 200m final at Ultimate Champs
September 13, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Bryan Levell and Ashanti Moore have qualified for the finals of the men’s and women’s 200m respectively on Sunday’s third and fina...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
❮ ❯

Polls

HOUSE RULES

  1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
  2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
  3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
  4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
  5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
  6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
  7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

Archives

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tweets

Polls

Recent Posts

Archives

Logo Jamaica Observer
Breaking news from the premier Jamaican newspaper, the Jamaica Observer. Follow Jamaican news online for free and stay informed on what's happening in the Caribbean
Featured Tags
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Health
  • Auto
  • Business
  • Letters
  • Page2
  • Football
Categories
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
Ads
img
Jamaica Observer, © All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feeds
  • Feedback
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Code of Conduct