Cyclone Freddy: Winds and rain lash Mozambique as storm nears

Mozambique is being lashed by rain, almighty winds and flooding arsenic Cyclone Freddy is astir to marque landfall for the 2nd clip successful a month.

The confederate African federation has received much than a year's worthy of rainfall successful the past 4 weeks.

Freddy whitethorn go the longest-lasting tempest connected record, having formed to the north-west of Australia 34 days ago.

One idiosyncratic is reported to person died, bringing the decease toll to astatine slightest 28 since the tempest archetypal made landfall.

People person been urged to determination into impermanent shelters - including schools, churches and warehouses.

More than fractional a cardinal radical could beryllium astatine hazard of a humanitarian situation this clip around, according to section catastrophe agencies.

As the precocious winds deed the state 1 idiosyncratic died erstwhile his location collapsed, Reuters quality bureau quotes authorities transmission TVM arsenic saying.

Electricity has been turned disconnected arsenic a precaution by the powerfulness inferior steadfast and each flights person been suspended, TVM is reported to person said.

The cyclone is reported to person stalled offshore and is thought to beryllium making its mode connected to onshore soon.

"I tin spot immoderate houses with roofs torn apart, breached windows and the streets flooded. It's truly scary," foundation idiosyncratic Vania Massingue, from the larboard metropolis of Quelimane successful Zambezia province, told Reuters.

Experts says clime alteration is making tropical storms astir the satellite wetter, windier and much intense.

Freddy has already breached records for the spot it has accumulated implicit the 8,000-km (5,000-mile) way it travelled crossed the Indian Ocean for north-western Australia.