27 Jan 2021

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has expressed sympathy and solidarity with the governments and people of Botswana, eSwatini, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe in the wake of devastation caused by tropical cyclone, Eloise.

Speaking in his capacity as SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security chairperson Tuesday, Dr Masisi said the cyclone resulted in loss of lives, displacement of communities and destruction of infrastructure and property.

He noted that the cyclone started as a tropical storm and made landfall in Madagascar in the early hours of January 19  gained momentum after reaching the Mozambique channel and developed into a category two tropical cyclone.

President Masisi said the cyclone made landfall near Beira in the Sofala Province of Mozambique on January 23 with strong winds and heavy falls.

Preliminary reports indicated that the cyclone has affected over 1 000 people in Madagascar and left one dead, he said.

“More than 500 people in different communities have been displaced. Reports also indicate that 134 houses were flooded while 56 houses have been completely destroyed. Nearly 100 classrooms were destroyed and around 5 000 students do not have access to school facilities,” said Dr Masisi.

In Mozambique, he said the cyclone led to heavy rains and widespread flooding that affected more than 21 500 people, resulting in the loss of three lives.

 The President said more than 3 900 hectares of farmland had been inundated while over 50 000 km2 of land in Sofala and Manica provinces had been flooded with impacts on livelihoods, agriculture production, food security as well as other ecosystem services.

President Masisi expressed the organ’s gratitude  to the governments of the affected countries, civil society organisations, as well as local and regional partners for the proactive steps they took to save lives and to support the communities negatively affected by the cyclone.

“The SADC Organ wishes to call upon countries and communities that are likely to be affected by the aftermath of the cyclone to remain vigilant and put in place measures to protect people from the residual impacts, especially the heavy rains and floods,” said Dr Masisi.ends