- विज्ञापन -
Lilongwe: The toll from Tropical Cyclone Chido in Malawi has risen to 13 dead, with over 45,000 people impacted by severe rainfall that hit the country from Sunday to Tuesday, according to local officials on Wednesday.
Charles Kalemba, Commissioner for the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), reported that the number of injuries has increased to 29, up from 16 on Tuesday. It was noted that 10,159 households have been affected, totaling around 45,162 individuals, with 227 people displaced.
By Tuesday, the cyclone had moved out of Malawi, having caused significant damage and heavy rains in the southern part of the country.
In response, DoDMA, in partnership with various humanitarian organizations, is actively providing relief to those affected, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
The cyclone caused widespread destruction, damaging roofs of homes and public structures in its path.
Cyclone Chido began as a tropical depression in the southeastern Indian Ocean between December 7 and 8. This type of system is characterized by low atmospheric pressure over water and a circular wind pattern driven by thunderstorms, with maximum sustained winds of 61 km/h or lower. If a tropical depression strengthens, it can develop into a tropical storm, exhibiting wind speeds between 62 km/h and 119 km/h. Winds above this speed classify the system as a tropical cyclone.
The naming conventions for such systems can be confusing. In the Atlantic and northeastern Pacific, they are called hurricanes; in the western Pacific, they’re known as typhoons, while the term cyclone is used in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean.
Cyclone Chido moved into Malawi on Monday and was expected to dissipate by Tuesday near Zimbabwe, which was also on high alert for heavy rains associated with the storm.
