Africa-Press – Mozambique. A tropical cyclone has entered the Mozambique Channel and is heading towards the coast of Inhambane province.
Cyclone Gezani formed in the Indian Ocean, and over the weekend it tracked across central Madagascar. On Wednesday morning it entered the Mozambique Channel and began to intensify. In general, cyclones intensify over open water, and lose speed over dry land.
On entering the Channel, Gezani had an average speed of 50 knots (95 kilometres an hour). According to the forecast from the US Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC), Gezani will intensify to 55 knots on Thursday, 60 knots on Friday and 80 knots on Sunday.
Mozambique’s National Meteorological Institute (INAM) warns that the cyclone will affect the weather in the coastal districts of the central province of Sofala and the southern provinces of Gaza and Inhambane.
The JTWC does not forecast that Gezani will make landfall anywhere in Mozambique. Instead, the cyclone will change course, and head south, away from the Mozambican coast. By Sunday, Gezani will have turned eastwards, heading back towards Madagascar.
INAM says it will continue to monitor the evolution of the cyclone and urges the public to follows the meteorological information and the warnings issued by the relevant authorities.
