The government of Zimbabwe has said it is taking measures to prepare for Cyclone Alvaro, which formed off the coast of Mozambique. Although the storm initially headed towards Madagascar, there are concerns that it may change direction and return to the Mozambican coast.
Nathan Nkomo, the director of the Civil Protection Department, emphasized the need for preparedness, as tropical storms can be unpredictable. He told NewsDay:
Given the time we are in at the moment, we are in the rainfall season and we remain activated. What we only need to do because of the Cyclone Alvaro is to escalate our preparedness to a greater level now given that we are at the peak of the cyclone period.
l have talked (to) the meteorological department and they said the trajectory is going eastwards towards Madagascar, but we cannot take chances.
It’s a natural phenomenon. Look at what Cyclone Freddy did to Malawi, destroying unexpectedly. The way Cyclone Alvaro is going might not be the final one.
The authorities are closely monitoring the situation, and the Meteorological Services Department will issue a statement on the matter.
In addition to the cyclone threat, Zimbabwe also faces the risk of landslides due to ongoing heavy rains. Flooding has already occurred in northwestern and southern Angola, and there are forecasts of heavy rain in eastern southern Africa, including parts of Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Madagascar. The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FewsNet) warns of potential flooding in these regions.
The Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook Forum predicts that Southern Africa will experience at least 13 cyclones this season, higher than the average of nine per season. Zimbabwe’s Department of Civil Protection (DCP) estimates that around 250,000 people are at risk of being affected by adverse weather conditions, including cyclones, floods, landslides, and hailstorms.
Harsh weather conditions caused severe damage, affecting 5,000 people, killing 13 people and injuring 16 in the region last year. In 2022, Southern Africa experienced 11 cyclones, including one that caused significant destruction and displaced over 100,000 people in Mozambique, Malawi, and Madagascar.
Zimbabwe has experienced the devastating impact of cyclones in recent years, with Cyclone Idai causing significant destruction and loss of life in Chipinge and Chimanimani districts.