Tropical storm Filipo wreaks havoc in Mozambique; Cuts power to almost 100,000 people

* Pylons fell down, equipment were flooded and electricity cables were broken

* The storm projected to enhance the convergence of North-Easterly and North-Westerly air mass over Malawi

* Leading to localised thunderstorms and heavy rains over Malawi which might trigger localised flash flooding

By Duncan Mlanjira

Tropical storm Filipo, which made landfall over Mozambique coast on Tuesday morning over south of Beira in Mozambique, has 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.

The Met Department projected that storm would continue to move progressively in a south-westerly direction with very heavy rainfall, maximum winds of 90 km/h and gusts of up to 120 km/h.

Yesterday, Malawi’s Department of Climate Change & Meteorological Services indicated that Filipo made landfall over south of Beira in Mozambique approximately 490km away from Nsanje border.

It further said the storm was projected to maintain southwestward trajectory while overland in the next 24 to 36 hours of Tuesday morning with expectation to return to Indian Ocean by early hours of today (Wednesday, March 13).

“As the storm continues moving southward, it will continue to enhance the convergence of North-Easterly and North-Westerly air mass over Malawi, leading to localised thunderstorms and heavy rains over Malawi which might trigger localised flash flooding.

But the Met Department still warns the public to be on alert for possible flash flooding particularly over lakeshore and flood prone areas and to stay away from rivers and streams as may rise rapidly and become dangerous during heavy rains.

Parents are also urged not to allow children to be close to streams, storm drains, or other flooded areas and to continuously check for weather updates from reliable and official channels as the Department continues to monitor the movement and strength of the storm — whose possible changes on its impacts on Malawi weather will be communicated accordingly.

Meanwhile, effects of tropical storm Filipo has benefited Zimbabwe that had been experiencing some dry spells as moisture was being drawn into the country from Mozambique that resulted in thunderstorms in the Mashonaland provinces yesterday, with Guruve receiving the highest rainfall of 36mm and the rest 15mm.

Tropical storm Filipo is not expected to affect Zimbabwe much, with cyclone trackers showing its path affecting a section of Mozambique before it heads back into the Indian Ocean.

In its weather update yesterday, the Zimbabwe Meteorological Services Department reported that districts in the eastern parts of the country such as Chipinge, Chiredzi and Chimanimani were also expected to have localised heavier downpours of above 30mm today, again due to tropical storm Filipo from Mozambique.