Madagascar is bracing for Tropical Cyclone Faida to make landfall on its northern coast on Feb. 4, even as it deals with the aftermath of another recently dissipated storm, Elvis, that reportedly killed at least five people.
Those killed during Elvis’s passage were involved in “lightning events” in Vohibato district in eastern Madagascar, according to a European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) report. Two people were also injured.
Elvis formed over the Mozambique Channel, between Madagascar and the African mainland, on Jan. 28 and struck the southwestern coast of Madagascar a day later. It caused heavy rainfall and strong winds in the southern part of the country, with maximum sustained winds of 84 kilometers per hour (52 miles per hour). The cities of Toliara and Taolagnaro recorded rainfall levels of 196 and 178 millimeters (7.7 and 7 inches) respectively over the course of five days, The Guardian reported.
The cyclone dissipated over the southern Indian Ocean during the weekend.
However, Madagascar is now experiencing the effects of Tropical Cyclone Faida, which formed over the southern Indian Ocean on Jan. 23 and made its way to Mauritius and Réunion Island on Feb. 2 before heading to northern Madagascar.
The Feb. 3 ECHO report on Faida says the cyclone has maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h (40 mph) and is expected to strengthen as it moves westward. After making landfall on Madagascar on Feb. 4, it’s expected to affect the Analamanga, Alaotra Mangoro, Analanjirofo, Atsinanana and Sofia regions.
On Réunion Island, a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean, local authorities have warned residents to be on standby for weather advisories and prepare emergency supplies, local media reported.
A couple of weeks before Elvis, Madagascar and countries in southern Africa were heavily hit by Tropical Cyclone Dikeledi. In Madagascar, it caused flooding and landslides in the northeast, killing at least 10 people.
Mongabay previously reported on how Dikeledi flooded a tortoise sanctuary, causing hundreds of radiated tortoises (Astrochelys radiata) and spider tortoises (Pyxis arachnoides) to drown. More than 10,000 of the tortoises that had been swept away were reportedly rescued, according to AP.
Last week, meteorological experts, scientists and economists met in Zambia to work on improving forecasting in Southern Africa by testing out some methodologies.
The U.K. Met Office wrote that “the [southern African] region is expected to experience increased storms as climate change continues to take root.” The region also dealt with the devastation of Tropical Cyclone Chido in December.
This story first appeared on Mongabay
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