Tropical Storm, Ana, kills over 70 in southern African countries

Over 70 people have been killed as a storm named Ana, swept through southern African countries, striking Madagascar, Mozambique and Malawi, with authorities scrambling to repair damages it left in its wake.

A statement by the Madagascan meteorological institute on Friday said, “the Tropical Storm Ana, packing torrential rainfall, made a landfall in the country on Wednesday before ploughing into Mozambique and Malawi the following day.”

“The death toll from Storm Ana which struck the three countries has risen to over 70 as at Thursday night as emergency teams are battling to repair damaged infrastructure and help tens of thousands of victims.

“Rescue workers and authorities across the three countries were still assessing the full extent of the damage far into the night.

“Madagascar so far reported 41 dead, with 18 others killed in Mozambique and 11 in Malawi.

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“Remnants of the storm have passed over Zimbabwe, but no deaths have been reported there so far while in the three hardest-hit countries, tens of thousands of homes were damaged.

“Some collapsed under the heavy rain, trapping victims in the rubble; bridges were washed away by swollen rivers, while livestock drowned and submerged fields, destroying the livelihoods of rural families.

“In Madagascar, 110,000 had to flee their homes. In the capital Antananarivo, schools and gyms were turned into emergency shelters.

“In northern and central Mozambique, Ana destroyed 10,000 homes, dozens of schools and hospitals, and downed power lines,” the institute said.

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