---
title: "Mozambicans seek shelter, Beira port closed as storm Freddy nears"
description: "MAPUTO, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Mozambique's authorities urged people to seek shelter and the country's major Beira port was closed on Friday, as tropical storm Freddy was forecast to make landfall imminently."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-02-24-mozambicans-seek-shelter-beira-port-closed-as-storm-freddy-nears/"
published: "2023-02-24T13:42:35"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 316
---

# Mozambicans seek shelter, Beira port closed as storm Freddy nears

> MAPUTO, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Mozambique's authorities urged people to seek shelter and the country's major Beira port was closed on Friday, as tropical storm Freddy was forecast to make landfall imminently.

By Reuters · Published 24 February 2023, 15:42 SAST

## Key points
- Cyclone Freddy is expected to make landfall near Vilankulo, Mozambique this Friday, bringing with it heavy rains and winds. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates 1.75 million people can be affected by the storm and severe flooding. The government has declared a state of ‘red alert’ to expedite operations to tackle Freddy. The cyclone has already caused destruction in Madagascar, where seven people have been killed and thousands displaced. In Zimbabwe, school has been suspended in six provinces due to the impending storm. Meteo France predicts that after making landfall, Freddy will weaken but will still bring a threat of floods in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
- French weather forecaster Meteo France predicts Cyclone Freddy to make landfall near Vilankulo, Mozambique
- Up to 1.75 million people could be affected by the storm and severe flooding
- Cyclone Freddy has already caused destruction in Madagascar and Zimbabwe has suspended school in 6 provinces
- The UN and partners are supporting the government-led response with staff deployed to Inhambane and Gaza provinces

## Content

French weather forecaster Meteo France, which has a cyclone-monitoring station on the Indian Ocean island of La Reunion, said Freddy was expected to make landfall near the tourist town of Vilankulo in Mozambique's southern Inhambane province around midday.

Edmundo Galiza Matos Junior, a local official in Vilankulo, posted a picture on Facebook showing people taking shelter in a school and a video showing strong winds battering the coast.

Cornelder de Moçambique, a company that operates cargo terminals in Beira port, said in a statement that the port would be closed until 1900 local time (1700 GMT) on Friday, subject to the weather conditions improving.

Up to 1.75 million people could be affected by the storm and severe flooding, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on its website.

"In the coming days, very heavy rains are expected in Gaza, Manica, Maputo, Inhambane and Sofala provinces. The UN and our partners are supporting the government-led response. We are deploying staff to Inhambane and Gaza provinces and our teams are on standby to carry out needs assessments," OCHA said.

[Freddy hit Madagascar](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL1N3511LG&linkedFromStory=true) earlier this week as a tropical cyclone, destroying houses, displacing thousands and killing at least seven people.

It weakened as it passed over Madagascar before strengthening again in the Mozambique Channel.

In Zimbabwe, which is also expected to see heavy rain from Freddy, the education ministry has suspended school in six provinces.

Mozambique has already been battling severe flooding in recent days, and the government has declared a state of ["red alert"](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL4N3532WK&linkedFromStory=true) to expedite operations to tackle Freddy.

Meteo France said after making landfall Freddy is expected to weaken, but that the rains it would cause over southern Mozambique, southeast Zimbabwe and northeast South Africa would pose a threat.

(Reporting by Manuel Mucari in Maputo and Nyasha Chingono in Harare; Writing by Anait Miridzhanian; Editing by Alexander Winning and Susan Fenton)