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(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – At least nine people were reported killed after tropical cyclone Eloise hit Africa’s east coast at the weekend with wind gusts of up to 160 kilometres per hour and heavy rain.
The majority of the deaths were reported in worst-hit Mozambican port city of Beira, according to authorities – most of them killed by falling trees.
The districts of Buzi and Nhamatanda were affected by severe flooding.
The cyclone, named Eloise by meteorologists, weakened as it moved towards neighbouring Zimbabwe, Botswana and parts of South Africa.
It came from the island nation of Madagascar, where authorities said there had been at least one death and flooding.
Cyclone Eloise displaces hundreds in KZN
By Jehran Daniel
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DURBAN - More than 100 homes in the KwaZulu-Natal province have been completely destroyed after cyclone Eloise hit parts of South Africa over the weekend and on Monday.
Despite the erratic nature of cyclone Eloise, there were no reported deaths as a result of the storm, according to KZN MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Sipho Hlomuka.
Hlokuma said that the Jozini area in the uMkhanyakude district, in northern KZN, bore the brunt of the storm, as almost all of the wards were affected.
“Our latest information indicates that, so far, a total number of 280 households and 916 people. There were approximately 175 completely destroyed houses and 110 partially destroyed houses,” Hlomuka said in a media briefing on Tuesday.
Tropical Cyclone Eloise hits Mozambique
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Tropical Cyclone Eloise made landfall early morning on 23 January near Mozambique s city of Beira, causing widespread damage and flooding on a long swathe of coastline and impacting an area still recovering from Cyclone Idai. Neighbouring southern African nations are also being hit by torrential rainfall and flooding from Eloise, which weakened to a tropical storm after landfall.
Tropical Cyclone Eloise made landfall at Category 1 strength, with winds of 140 km/h and gusts up to 160 km/h, according to Mozambique’s National Institute of Meteorology (INAM) and WMO’s Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre La Réunion (MeteoFrance). Beira received 250 mm of rain in 24 hours, according to INAM. Other areas that were flooded ahead of Eloise’s landfall also received additional heavy rains.
Disaster description
A low-pressure weather system that formed in the south-west Indian Ocean on 14 January has evolved into a moderate tropical storm, named Eloise, and is expected to make landfall in north-eastern Madagascar between 19 and 20 January, according to different weather services. The storm, which is currently about 700 km from the coast of Madagascar, continues to strengthen and could hit the country between Antalaha and Tamatave, potentially as a severe tropical storm, according to the Global Disaster Alert Coordination System. (OCHA, 18 Jan 2021)
In Madagascar, more than 1,000 people have been directly affected, at least one died, and more than 50 houses were destroyed, as Tropical Storm Eloise passed through Antalaha, Maroantsetra, Vavatenina and Toamasina districts. (OCHA, 20 Jan 2021)
‘I never thought I would be afraid of water, but this was horrible’ SAWS has issued an uncommon warning in the wake of Eloise, which is lashing the Kruger National Park 24 January 2021 - 17:49 By Staff Reporter
DROWNING A hide at Kruger National Park, where a number of roads are closed due to flooding. Image: KNP/Twitter
An unusual red level 10 warning was issued by the SA Weather Service (SAWS) for eastern parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga for Sunday into Monday.
This is due to persistent heavy rain, with “more heavy rain expected tonight into tomorrow”.
SEEING RED A red level 10 warning has been issued by the SA Weather Service in the wake of Storm Eloise.