HARARE – The Department of Civil Protection says it has activated measures to try and alleviate the potential threat posed by Tropical Cyclone Freddy.
This follows warnings by the Meteorological Services Department, Zimbabwe could be hit by the dreaded weather phenomenon, with the eastern parts of the country likely to feel the impact.
“We are now on high alert and are making awareness programmes already especially to first responders of the Cyclone in Manicaland, that is Chipinge and Chimanimani,” Civil Protection Chief Director Nathan Nkomo said Monday.
“We are working with the Met Department who would be advising us on a regular basis and we are in meetings throughout.”
According to the Met office, a very Intense Tropical Cyclone Freddy is tracking west-south, westward in the Indian Ocean amid fears it could reach Mozambique, Zimbabwe’s immediate eastern neighbour.
The storm’s unusual path is closing in on Madagascar, where experts say life-threatening impacts could accompany the formidable cyclone during the first half of this week.
Met Office Chief Forecaster James Ngoma told ZimLive that trajectories of the fierce storm were more inclined to the extreme north and on Monday, just hours later, it had shifted more to the south.
“This is while it is on a flat seabed. When it comes on to Madagascar, it can shift in any direction. But all we know is it will greatly reduce in strength because it is like a mountain, a large island,” he said.
“We can only tell if it will reach Zimbabwe after it has reached Madagascar.
“It could reduce its force and change direction when it will be in Madagascar.”
