President Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed that he was indeed saddened to see the devastation caused by mudslides from Cyclone Freddy and floods, which has left no fewer than 300 people dead in Malawi.
While reacting to the record-breaking storm that came with devastating landslides in the Southeastern African state of Malawi, Buhari conveyed Nigeria’s condolences to his counterpart, President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, the families of victims who lost their lives, and the Government and people of the country.
The Nigerian leader prayed for the repose of the souls of the deceased and quick recovery for the injured.
This was made known in a statement by Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President which was obtained by Africa Today News, New York on Saturday.
The President, however, hoped for early restoration of normalcy in all the areas affected.
In a related development, no fewer than four people have been confirmed dead after a powerful cyclone tracked across Madagascar on Wednesday as it headed towards Mozambique, disaster management authorities disclosed.
A 27-year-old man drowned in rising sea waters just before Cyclone Freddy made landfall on the Indian Ocean island yesterday evening, packing winds of around 130 kilometres (80 miles) per hour).
The authorities had on Wednesday morning said the toll had risen to four.
Around 16,600 people were affected and more than 6,750 homes were damaged, the National Risk Management Office (BNGRC) said, also giving a provisional assessment.
France’s weather service Meteo-France said Freddy weakened as it began its path across the island, and now had an average wind speed of 55 kph, gusting to 75 kph.
Risk management senior official Faly Aritiana Fabien described Freddy as ‘one of the strongest cyclones’ in recent times to hit the island, which is typically lashed several times during the annual November-April storm season.