The death toll from a tropical storm that swept through three African countries this week exceeded 70 as rescue workers scrambled to repair collapsed power lines and help thousands of people stranded by the flooding.
Strong winds, swollen rivers and heavy rains from Tropical Storm Ana brought down homes and trapped residents in the wreckage. At least 18 people were killed in Mozambique, while 48 deaths were reported in Madagascar and 11 in Malawi.
Authorities were still evaluating the number of casualties and the scale of the destruction Friday as warnings emerged of another storm coming from over the Indian Ocean in days.
Even as the seasonal cyclone passed in parts of the region, “the situation in some locations remains dire for children and families on the ground, with rains still coming, and water levels rising,” the United Nations children’s agency said Thursday. “The tropical storm sheds a light again on the risks and consequences of climate emergencies in the region.”
In Mozambique, Ana battered 10,000 homes and damaged dozens of schools, hospitals and power lines. Floodwaters cut roads and collapsed a bridge in one province, making it harder for emergency responders to reach some districts.
In Madagascar, the storm pushed tens of thousands of people out of their homes, with schools and gyms in the capital turning into shelters.
In Malawi, the government declared a state of natural disaster. Flooding washed away livestock and crops, with some residents drowning in darkness after power outages hit parts of the country earlier this week.
The Washington Post
