By Judith Akolo.
The Southern Africa Development Cooperation (SADC) Humanitarian and Emergency Operations Center (SHOC) has issued an alert of for Tropical Cyclone Chido which has developed over the Southwestern Indian Ocean basin approximately 1332 Kilometers off the Madagascar coastline.
According to the information sourced from the various weather centers and corroborated by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), Tropical Cyclone Chido has recorded maximum sustained surface winds of 110Kilometers per hour with wind gusts of over 130 Kilometers per hour.
“The potential for further development into a Category 3 Cyclone within the next 24 hours is high,” says the statement and adds, “The tropical system is currently expected to directly affect Madagascar and later Comoros and Mozambique.
The SADC Humanitarian and Emergency Operations Center (SHOC) notes that based on the forecasts, “Tropical Cyclone Chido will make direct impact over northern parts of Madagascar, resulting in extreme rainfall, strong winds and rough to very rough sea conditions.”
SHOC says the information has been accessed from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) Tropical Centre, European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF), and the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC), for the Southwest Indian Ocean, the system is expected to re-intensify with similar impacts expected later over Comoros and Mozambique.
SHOC is further warning that other parts of the SADC region expected to receive heavy rainfall due to the weather system include; western Angola, eastern DR Congo and parts of northern Tanzania.
Among the anticipatory measures that have been advanced include: Early Evacuation Planning, National Disaster Management Authorities and Coastal Agencies are encouraged to activate their evacuation plans, ensuring efficient and safe evacuation procedures are in place, Member States are being encouraged to stock essential emergency supplies and ensure readiness to provide timely assistance to populations likely to be affected.
SADC region Members States are being urged to ensure communities at risk are well informed of the immediate danger due to the forecasted Tropical Cyclone Chido.
