Southern Africa – Tropical Cyclone Eloise Flash Update No.6, As of 23 January 2021
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HIGHLIGHTS
Tropical Cyclone Eloise made landfall near Beira City in Sofala Province, Mozambique in the early hours of 23 January.
After landfall, Eloise downgraded to a Moderate Tropical Storm bringing heavy rains and strong winds in Sofala Province.
The most immediate concern is the potential for significant flooding, including in the days ahead.
Eloise is expected to continue to move inland, bringing heavy rains to southern Zimbabwe, northern South Africa and far eastern Botswana.
SITUATION OVERVIEW
Tropical Cyclone Eloise made landfall in central Mozambique on 23 January at around 2 a.m., near the coastal city of Beira, with winds of 140 km/h and gusts up to 160 km/h, according to Mozambique’s National Institute of Meteorology (INAM). Beira received 250 mm of rain in 24 hours, according to INAM, while other areas that were flooded ahead of Eloise’s landfall including Buzi and Nh
Frightened Residents Brace as Tropical Storm Eloise Approaches Mozambique iom.int - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from iom.int Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Date Time
Tropical Cyclone Eloise threatens Mozambique
Tropical Cyclone Eloise is intensifying and is expected to make landfall at 0300 UTC on 23 January in Mozambique, as the equivalent of a category 2 strength on the Saffir Simpson scale.
It will bring hurricane-force winds, heavy rainfall and the risk of coastal flooding, with widespread humanitarian impacts, and underlines once again the importance of WMO’s efforts to strengthen early warnings and build resilience, especially in vulnerable countries on the frontline of climate change.
Eloise impacted Madagascar before crossing the Mozambican Channel, killing at least one person and causing damage.
It is forecast that Eloise will make landfall near the city of Beira, between the Zambezi delta and Save river delta. Given that Eloise is a large system, there is a high probability (above 90%) that Beira will be affected or grazed by the radius of maximum winds, according to WMO’s Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre La
Southern Africa – Tropical Storm Eloise Flash Update No 5, As of 22 January 2021 - Mozambique reliefweb.int - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from reliefweb.int Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Migration and Climate Change
Beira Roughly 160 International Organization for Migration (IOM) staff in central Mozambique are working to prepare local communities for the imminent arrival of Cyclone Eloise, which is currently packing winds of at least 150 km/h.
“The people are scared,” said Cesaltino Vilanculo, an IOM Mobile team leader in the provincial capital Beira, who helped hundreds of families evacuate from unsafe temporary settlements to two accommodation centers.
“The water is rising in their zones and people are frightened, bracing for yet another storm.”
Eloise is expected to make landfall in Beira late Friday or early Saturday. By mid-afternoon today shops across the city are closed and flooded streets, empty.