The National Meteorological Institute (INAM) has warned that the new low pressure system that has formed to the northeast of Madagascar, in the southwest Indian Ocean basin, has evolved into a severe tropical storm and has been given the name “Gamane”.
According to the organization, the phenomenon is moving towards the south of the basin and has the potential to develop into a tropical cyclone in the next few hours.
“Its interaction with the intertropical convergence zone continues to influence the weather, with moderate to locally heavy rainfall in the central and northern areas of the country,” it explained.
The institution stressed that it continues to monitor the evolution of the system and called on the population to “continue to follow the meteorological information and warnings issued by the competent national authorities”.
Recently released data indicated that the current rainy season in Mozambique has already caused the deaths of 135 people and affected another 116,334. Of the total number of deaths, 57 were caused by lightning strikes, 31 by cholera, 24 by drowning, 20 by houses collapsing and three by animal attacks.
There were also 181 people injured, the total and partial destruction of 6,348 houses and the flooding of another 10,473, as well as affecting 652 boats, 26,354 hectares of crops, 5,879 of which were considered lost.
Mozambique is considered one of the countries most severely affected by global climate change, facing cyclical floods and tropical cyclones during the rainy season, which runs from October to April.
