Moderate tropical storm Filipo moves away from inhabited land and will not pose any threat to Malawi 

* Malawians should expect localised thunderstorms and heavy rains to continue due to the convergence of North-Easterly and North-Westerly air mass

* Do not to allow children close to streams, storm drains, or other flooded areas and to stay informed of updates from reliable and official channels

By Duncan Mlanjira

The Department of Climate Change &!Meteorological Services has issued its final update on moderate tropical storm Filipo, saying it has moved away from inhabited land and will lose its tropical characteristics as well as not posing any threat to Malawi.

The update says the storm has taken southeastward trajectory from Maputo, Mozambique into the Indian Ocean today.

However, the Met Department says Malawians should expect localised thunderstorms and heavy rains to continue due to the convergence of North-Easterly and North-Westerly air mass.

Thus the public is advises the public not to allow children close to streams, storm drains, or other flooded areas and to stay informed of updates from reliable and official channels as the Department will continue to monitor weather over Malawi and across the region — ensuring timely communication to the nation regarding any notable developments and severe weather that could impact the country.

When it made a land on the coast of Mozambique yesterday, tropical storm Filipo devastated several public infrastructure including causing damage to power grid.

A report by clubofmozambique.com quotes the country’s electricity supply service provider, Eletricidade de Moçambique (EDM) as saying almost 100,000 people were without electricity since yesterday morning as pylons fell down, equipment were flooded and electricity cables were broken.

It further said the southern region of Mozambique, in Inhambane province, at least 83,000 people in the districts of Mabote, Morrumbene, Mapinhane, Massinga, the town of Jangamo, Ligogo and the cities of Vilanculos and Inhambane were without power as of yesterday.

In the centre, EDM estimates that 11,500 people are without power in Tambara, Chiramba, Savane and Muanza, the Beira neighbourhoods of Cerâmica, Tâmara, Inhamizua, Matadouro, Munhava, Matope, Ngangau, Six Miles, Ndunda and Zona Industrial.

In the north, the storm cut electricity supply to 4,256 customers in the Eráti district, in Nampula province, said the media report, quoting EDM’s public statement.

Images shared through social media show many parts were affected including the capital, Maputo and clubofmozambique.com further quotes Mozambique’s National Meteorological Institute as reporting that the severe tropical storm Filipo made its landfall at 05:00hrs through the district of Inhassoro, Inhambane province, heading south-west towards Maputo.