File:Freddy Strikes Mozambique (MODIS).jpg

English: Once a Category 5 Tropical Cyclone spinning over the Indian Ocean, Freddy made landfall over Mozambique’s Inhambane Province on February 24, 2023, as a severe tropical storm.

Near the time that Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired a true-color image of Freddy moving over the coast on February 24, maximum sustained winds were estimated at about 70 mph (113 km/h). Wind speeds dropped quickly once the center had fully moved over land, prompting the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) to issue its final advisory on Tropical Cyclone Freddy at 10:00 a.m. EST (1500 UTC) on that same day.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned that the storm could bring cumulative rainfall totals of 200-300 millimeters (8-12 in) with up to 500 millimeters (19.7 in) over 72 hours in the worst hit areas of Mozambique and Zimbabwe. ReliefWeb echoed concerns about extreme rainfall, which may bring months-worth of rainfall in the space of a few days. Severe and widespread flooding could affect up to 1.75 million people. Early reports from the region nearest landfall stated that trees were downed and some roofs were damaged.

Prior to striking Mozambique, Tropical Cyclone Freddy made landfall over Madagascar on February 21 carrying maximum sustained winds of about 80 mph (130 km/h) or the equivalent of a Category 1 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. ReliefWeb reports early assessments on Madagascar reveal that 79,000 people on that island have been affected by the storm, with 22,500 displaced and at least 7 people dead. Property damage includes more than 3,079 houses flooded, 9,696 damaged, and 1,206 totally destroyed.