Freddy, the tropical cyclone that is approaching Mozambique again, may set a record in terms of duration and in many other aspects, said a spokesperson for the United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in Geneva on Friday.
Claire Knowles said at her press conference that according to their data, the hurricane duration record is currently held by Hurricane John in 1994, which lasted 31 days. On the other hand, Freddy is already on his 33rd day since he was born and named on February 6.
The dangerous cyclone formed near the northern coast of Australia. First, I flew over the southern part of the Indian Ocean, and then on February 21 reached the coast of Madagascar. He passed through the island and reached Mozambique and then Zimbabwe on 24 February.
It passed through both countries with heavy rains which caused floods. More than 171,000 people were forced to leave their homes and large swaths of farmland were flooded.
10 people lost their lives in Mozambique and 17 in Madagascar.
Then Freddy made a circuit not far from the coast and picked up a good amount of steam over the warmer waters, so he came back with even bigger force and hit Madagascar again. It is currently heading toward Mozambique again, where it is expected to make landfall in the northern Zambezia province on Saturday morning at the latest.
Claire Knowles warned that a widespread storm surge with very strong winds is expected to affect northeastern Zimbabwe, southeastern Zambia and Malawi as well as Mozambique as it moves slowly.
According to the report of Mozambique’s Disaster Management Authority, the safety and lives of more than half a million people may be in danger: the amount of rainfall is expected to be between 200 and 300 mm, but it could exceed 400 mm in some places. or 500 mm. This is more than double the normal monthly rainfall in the affected areas.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is preparing to set up a special committee to analyze tornado data after it disperses and determine if a world record has already been set.
The spokesperson added that the investigation could take several months, but it is certain that Freddy has so far proven to be exceptional in terms of intensity, duration, area covered and penetrating power.
The last example of a hurricane following this path was in 2000, when two tropical cyclones, Leon Elaine and Hoda, swept through the area one after the other.
Scientists’ analyzes show that global warming favors the formation of hurricanes because the oceans absorb more and more heat from greenhouse gases entering the air, and then, as they evaporate, this heat returns to the atmosphere and fuels hurricanes that form as fuel. .
There are already many deaths from the new tropical storm that hit Madagascar
Freddy is expected to arrive in Mozambique on Friday.
