At least two million people will be impacted, according to the Madagascar government’s announcement on Monday, once Cyclone Freddy makes landfall in the country’s east.
The cyclone is expected to hit nine regions of the nation, according to experts from the National Bureau of Risks and Catastrophes.
In the areas that will be impacted, emergency teams are preparing to handle heavy rains, floods, and even landslides.
For weeks, the cyclone has been churning in the Indian Ocean, and experts predict that its effects will be felt between the districts of Vatomandry in the southeast and Manakara on the east coast.
Residents in the region have been urged to strengthen their doors and roofs, remove dangerous trees, and stay indoors during the cyclone.
According to the World Food Programme, the island nation is one of the top 10 nations in Africa that are most susceptible to cyclones and natural disasters.
The last tropical storm to make landfall in the country was Cheneso, which struck in January of this year. More than 40,000 people were left homeless and about 30 people died.
Author-Roberta Appiah
