Southern Africa: Waves as High as 10m Expected as Cyclone Chido Makes Landfall in Mozambique

Cape Town — Tropical Cyclone Chido is affecting multiple countries in Southern Africa, potentially impacting approximately 2.5 million people across Mozambique, Malawi, and the Comoros. The cyclone already hit Mayotte with extreme wind conditions and is expected to make landfall in northern Mozambique on December 15.

In the Comoros, the cyclone caused damage, activating national emergency services’ rescue plans after it issued warnings. The damage included the destruction of five homes in Anjouan and a search operation for 11 missing fishers in Ngazidja.

Mozambique is preparing for the cyclone’s landfall, with red alerts issued for Cabo Delgado and Nampula provinces. Humanitarian partners are prepositioning supplies and preparing for potential assessments. The forecast includes severe conditions such as storms, rainfall of 100-200mm within 12-24 hours, and high seas with waves reaching 6-10 meters.

Malawi is expecting the cyclone’s remnants from December 15-16, with 24 southern districts at risk of significant rainfall, flash floods, and strong winds. The government activated an Emergency Operation Centre and is co-ordinating district-level response efforts.

Regional authorities, including the Southern African Development Community (SADC), are monitoring the situation, sharing updates, and recommending preparedness measures such as public awareness campaigns, relief supply positioning, and coordinating early warning systems.

The cyclone is expected to gradually dissipate near Zimbabwe by December 17, with heavy rainfall potentially affecting multiple countries in the region, including Angola, Botswana, DRC, Eswatini, Tanzania, and South Africa.

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