Tropical storm Filipo hits Mozambique, SA braces for impact
|Published
Durban — South Africa braces for impact now that moderate tropical storm Filipo has made landfall in Mozambique.
Filipo making landfall has resulted in strong and destructive winds, among others, along the coast of Mozambique.
On Tuesday afternoon, Météo-France, a meteorological service, said the tropical low-pressure system named Filipo landed in the morning at around 5am (local Mozambique time) in the far north of Inhambane province, near the town of Inhassoro, at the moderate tropical storm stage.
It said that although it weakened during the day, the system nevertheless retained a tropical structure while evolving over land.
“The system is currently concentrating strong winds along the coast of Inhambane province. Weather conditions remain degraded, particularly in terms of precipitation, near the landing zone, but also in the interior of the provinces of Inhambane and Gaza. Heavy rain could cause flooding and flash floods,” Météo-France said.
“The sea state is also degraded on the coast of Inhambane province due to strong waves and residual marine submersion on certain portions of the coast, particularly south of the town of Vilanculos.
“These disrupted conditions will continue until Wednesday morning, in particular heavy rains and the risk of flooding, while spreading towards the far south of the country.
“An improvement is expected from Wednesday evening as the system moves away over the ocean off the south-east of the country,” Météo-France said.
Severe Tropical Storm #Filipo makes landfall over southern #Mozambique.
— WFP southern Africa (@WFP_SAfrica) March 12, 2024
Supporting the government of 🇲🇿Mozambique, @WFP and partners are monitoring the situation on the ground to help provide life-saving assistance to affected people.@wfp_mozambique pic.twitter.com/LhQP0U9Jqv
In the morning, the South African Weather Service (Saws) said tropical storm Filipo was over the southern areas of Mozambique.
“The system is expected to result in disruptive rain over the north-eastern areas of South Africa.”
Earlier, Météo-France said that while on land for a relatively short time, the system kept its tropical structure and was concentrating strong and even locally destructive winds along the coast of Inhambane province.
It said that apart from the strong winds encountered, the weather conditions and sea state continue to deteriorate in the area close to the point of impact, particularly in terms of precipitation with heavy rains which can cause flooding and flash floods, strong waves at the coast and flooding of certain portions of the coastline, particularly south of Vilanculos.
Received this video from Manie Barnard in #Inhassoro Mozambique, 340km north of Inhambane. Wind, rain and "storm surge" damage to buildings and infrastructure from Tropical Storm #Filipo can be clearly seen @VoxWeatherZa @JoelGuy_ @AfricaWeather_ @WMO pic.twitter.com/5XxHG3H5RB
— ReenvalSA (@ReenvalSA) March 12, 2024
On Monday, the Saws said there was a moderate to high risk of heavy rainfall occurring over the Lowveld regions of Limpopo on Tuesday, and over the Lowveld of Mpumalanga on Wednesday.
Mpumalanga has a risk of orographically-enhanced rainfall occurring along the eastern escarpment region on Wednesday, when heavy rain and localised flooding may occur over the southern Lowveld (including the Kruger National Park), the neighbouring Kingdom of eSwatini as well as extreme north-eastern KZN.
Major rivers of the central and southern half of the Kruger National Park (KNP), such as the Olifants, Letaba, Sabie and Sand rivers and the Crocodile River in the extreme south of KNP are likely to be flowing very strongly, possibly in flood, from midweek onwards.
The weather service added that the north-eastern extremity of KZN, especially the coast and adjacent interior northwards of Richards Bay, can expect a spell of sustained, extremely heavy rainfall on Wednesday.
The heavy rain will cease abruptly by Thursday, as the system leaves southern Africa and moves off into the southern Indian Ocean, east of South Africa.
Additionally, the Saws issued an orange Level 6 warning for disruptive rain in northern KZN for Wednesday.
It said that moderate tropical storm Filipo will result in widespread showers and thundershowers over the extreme north-eastern parts of KZN.
Significant rainfall amounts exceeding 100mm may lead to flooding of roads and settlements, damage to infrastructure and mud-based houses over the north-eastern parts of KZN.
Saws also issued a yellow level 4 warning for disruptive rainfall leading to flooding of roads and settlements, difficulty in driving on dirt roads, damage to infrastructure and mud-based houses in Mpumalanga.
Saws said: “Partly cloudy and warm to hot, with isolated showers and thundershowers over the central and eastern parts, but widespread to scattered rain and showers are expected in the eastern parts of Mpumalanga and KZN. Warning: Disruptive rain.”
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