Tropical storm Filipo reached the shores of Mozambique’s Inhambane province at approximately 05:00 local time (03:00 GMT), causing disruptions in electricity and communications in Inhambane and Sofala.
The impact is already being felt in Gaza, with expectations of impending devastating effects in Maputo later today.
As the storm progresses southwestward across southern Mozambique, its winds are anticipated to gradually weaken, leading to a downgrade to a tropical depression in the coming hours.
Despite the diminishing winds, Filipo is poised to bring heavy rainfall to southern Mozambique, with potential accumulations of 1cm or more in certain areas, posing an ongoing threat of flooding.
Mozambique’s National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD) estimates that over 525,000 people could be affected by the combination of strong winds and flooding. Additionally, heavy downpours are expected in Eswatini and the northeastern regions of South Africa.
However, by Wednesday, Filipo is forecasted to veer away from land, dissipating its impact as it spins out to sea.
