Residents of Inhambane, a coastal port city in southern Mozambique, are racing to secure their homes ahead of the expected landfall of Cyclone Gezani on Friday.
Forecasters say the storm is likely to pass close to the city from Friday afternoon before tracking back into the Mozambique Channel. Strong winds and heavy rainfall are anticipated, raising fears of structural damage and localised flooding.
Gezani earlier tore across Madagascar, killing at least 40 people and causing widespread destruction in Toamasina, the island nation’s second-largest city.
In Inhambane, families have been reinforcing rooftops with sandbags to prevent them from being ripped off by powerful gusts. Windows have been boarded up with corrugated iron sheets, and loose materials cleared from yards as a precaution.
Authorities have restricted maritime activity, warning of dangerous sea conditions. Fishermen have been advised to remain ashore.
“All sailors were informed that there will be strong winds and a cyclone. Today is our turn to fish but we are not going out,” said fisherman Jaime Neto.
Mozambique has faced a series of extreme weather events in recent years, which scientists link to the growing impacts of climate change. The country is still recovering from severe flooding in recent weeks that affected more than 700,000 people and damaged over 170,000 homes, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Emergency services remain on high alert as communities brace for the storm’s impact.
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