Hurricane Freddy, described as exceptional by the scientific community, caused heavy damage on its passage through Africa; see why in this summary of the situation.
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Its exceptional longevity
The cyclone formed in early February in the Indian Ocean, quietly breaking Cyclone John’s previous 31-day record.
Loop path
Freddy crossed the Indian Ocean before hitting several countries in Africa twice, and traveled more than 10,000 km, almost twice the width of Canada.
Difficult weather conditions
The tropical cyclone brings with it strong winds, which have already reached 265 km / h, and heavy rain showers, which in turn cause floods and landslides, destroying houses and other buildings in its path.
Minting poor countries
In addition to wreaking havoc by the very fact of being a cyclone, Freddy does all the more damage as it has affected some of the poorest countries in the world. According to data from Statista, Malawi is the 3rd poorest country in the world, Madagascar is 5th and Mozambique is 9th.
These countries are now threatened by a humanitarian crisis, as many homes have been destroyed and will have to be rebuilt, and the health situation is conducive to the development of disease.
Cholera outbreak
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cholera was spreading rapidly in early February in this area of Africa, infecting as many people in one month as in the whole of 2022. Malawi, followed by Mozambique, are the African countries most affected by the epidemic.
Cholera causes an acute diarrheal infection caused by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with Vibrio cholerae, the risk of spread is therefore greater after a climatic disaster.
With information from MétéoMédia