Another storm to hit Madagascar, Mozambique

Madagascar and Mozambique authorities warned Monday of another impending storm.

The two countries, along with their neighbours in southern Africa, have been hit by five cyclones this year alone.

According to the World Weather Attribution network, between January and March, three tropical cyclones and two tropical storms hit southern Africa, with 230 people killed and more than one million affected.

Since 2014, southern Madagascar has also been hit by a prolonged drought. During more severe periods, the crisis left over one million people without enough food.

Madagascar confirmed that Jasmin had intensified into a severe tropical storm.

At 10am local time, its centre was positioned about 363km west-northwest of Morombe and could make landfall on Atsimo Andrefana on Tuesday evening, Madagascar’s Natural Disaster Management Agency said Monday.

Strong winds

Mozambique warned the storm could hit the south of Nampula province and the north of Inhambane on Monday.

According to the National Institute of Meteorology (INAM), Jasmin could be characterised by strong winds of up to 100km per hour and gusts of 120km that could generate waves of nine metres.

It was likely to occur at sea with no need for alarm on the mainland, INAM added.

Last week, the World Bank announced the disbursement of $ 415 million to support Madagascar in its post-cyclones recovery strategy.

"A National Recovery Plan was established after the passage of cyclones. We were thus able to discuss this subject of major importance during a meeting with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund," President Andry Rajoelina wrote on his Facebook page Tuesday.

The comments came after the president’s delegation held a meeting with World Bank head David Malpass along with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva in Washington.

Electricity and water

The money will be used mainly to build roads and revive agriculture and improve access to electricity and water, President Rajoelina said, adding that the recovery plan includes projects in priority sectors such as infrastructure, energy, agriculture, social protection, water, housing, education, modernisation of public finance management and health.

A fortnight ago, the African Development Bank (AfDB) said it would disburse $46 million to support communities affected by cyclones Idai and Kenneth.

In March and April 2019, cyclones Idai – with its epicentre at the port of the country’s second-largest city, Beira – and Kenneth, hit Mozambique just a few weeks apart.

The two are the worst natural disasters recorded in the country in the last two decades.

The AfDB said the money will support 40,000 families that rely on agriculture until 2023.