'Weak' Chido to reach Zimbabwe on Tuesday

The Meteorological Services Department (MSD) has announced that Tropical Cyclone Chido is expected to reach Zimbabwe on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, after it weakened upon making landfall in Mozambique on Sunday.

Tapiwa Masawi, an official from the MSD, confirmed to ZBC News on Monday that while the cyclone was more powerful while it was still over the ocean, it lost strength as it made landfall in Mozambique early on Sunday morning. The interaction with land and the terrain caused a significant reduction in the cyclone's intensity, making its impact less severe.

Masawi explained that by Monday morning, the cyclone had moved over the southern parts of Malawi and was expected to move into Zimbabwe via the Nyamapanda border post on Tuesday. The system is forecast to affect areas such as Murehwa, parts of Mashonaland Central including Bindura, Shamva, Mazowe, and the Harare Metropolitan Province.

"Due to the weakening of the system, we are expecting less destruction than originally anticipated," Masawi said, reassuring the public that the impact would be less severe than earlier warnings suggested.

Cyclone Chido, which previously caused widespread devastation in Mayotte, a French territory in the Indian Ocean, has been labeled the worst cyclone to strike the region in nearly a century. The storm tore through the archipelago on Saturday, uprooting trees and demolishing homes. Reports indicate that several hundred people are feared to have lost their lives in the devastating impact of the cyclone.

While Zimbabwe is now facing a weakened version of the storm, the MSD continues to monitor the system's progress and urges citizens in the affected regions to remain cautious and prepare for possible rain and strong winds.