death toll rises to 70 in southern Africa

The toll of tropical storm Ana, which hit several countries in southern Africa, has risen to 70 dead, according to the latest counts made on Thursday, January 27, by the authorities of Mozambique, Malawi and Madagascar. The governments and relief agencies of the three countries are still assessing the extent of the damage caused by the heavy rains which began last week on the coast bordering the Indian Ocean and in the Mozambique Channel. Some 41 people were killed in Madagascar, 18 in Mozambique and 11 in Malawi. The storm also affected Zimbabwe but no fatalities were reported there.

Tens of thousands of houses were damaged, some collapsed under the weight of the liters of water that fell in a few days, victims found themselves trapped there. Bridges have collapsed over flooded rivers, taking away cars and their occupants. The floods also washed away livestock and submerged fields, destroying the livelihood of some residents. In Madagascar, 110,000 people have been forced to leave their homes. In the capital Antananarivo, gymnasiums and schools have been requisitioned and transformed into emergency accommodation.

After crossing the Indian Ocean, Ana hit northern and central Mozambique. More than 10,000 homes were affected, along with dozens of hospitals and schools and electrical infrastructure. The government and the United Nations estimate the number of people affected in several provinces at 500,000. According to the country’s meteorological institute, the rains will continue in the coming days and another storm is expected by the end of the week. Four to six cyclones are still expected in the region by the end of March, the end of the rainy season.

In Malawi, the government has declared a state of natural disaster. Much of the country is still plunged into darkness since the start of the week. The flash floods forced power companies to shut down generators. The supply has gradually resumed for two days, but many electrical structures have been destroyed. “Our priority is to restore power to health facilities and schools,” the Electricity Supply Commission of Malawi (Escom) said in a statement.

Southern Africa and particularly Mozambique have been hit several times in recent years by violent storms and cyclones which have caused serious material damage and displaced a large number of people.