Cyclone Kenneth, a monster storm that has already claimed the lives of three people, is bearing down on the coast of Mozambique in southern Africa, packing 140-mph winds, dumping rain, causing intense flooding, and threatening hundreds of thousands of people. The cyclone was recently upgraded to Category 4 strength.
Mozambique’s northern province of Cabo Delgado is most threatened, with about 700,000 people at risk, according to AccuWeather. The weather news outlet says Kenneth will be the first hurricane-strength tropical cyclone to hit Cabo Delgado since modern record-keeping began.
The storm comes a little over a month after the country was hit by Cyclone Idai, which devastated the port city of Beira and killed more than 1,000 people, Reuters reports.
Earlier today, a number of media outlets and weather services shared maps, satellite images, and radar scans of the storm, underscoring the cyclone’s enormous scale. For real-time updates, you can visit the BBC’s live storm page.
Tropical Cyclone #Kenneth ????has now intensified to category 4 hurricane strength after passing #Comoros ???????? and is heading for north #Mozambique ????????landfall in around 16 hours time #CycloneKenneth pic.twitter.com/OdG3CBwSlW
— YouStorm (@YouStormorg) April 25, 2019
????A Harrowing Sight as the eye of Cyclone Kenneth now approaches the coastline of #Mozambique ????We are praying for the people of Mozambique. Severe damages already reported in parts with the worst probably to come this evening into tomorrow. #CycloneKenneth #Cyclone #Kenneth pic.twitter.com/Z6eMNQdG0Q
— ????️SA Weather ???????? SAWX (@sawx_sa_weather) April 25, 2019
While intense #cycloneKenneth will weaken after making landfall, it will continue to produce huge amounts of rain over the Cabo Delgado province, Mozambique.
Up to 500mm possible in a 4 day period for the province capital, Pemba & the second largest city; Montepuez. #eNCA pic.twitter.com/0SkJn9hkrL— eNCAWeather (@eNCAWeather) April 25, 2019
#Tropical Cyclone #Kenneth is beginning a catastrophic, unprecedented strike on northern #Mozambique, just weeks after #Idai ravaged the country. https://t.co/wWRA3Rk7aX pic.twitter.com/0MQziw6UMN
— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) April 25, 2019
Sadly, history in the making: NOAA’s historical database has no record of a #hurricane strength #tropical cyclone landfall in northern Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province. #Kenneth currently at Cat. 4 intensity, per JTWC, with landfall later today. pic.twitter.com/I3KmGoq2kx
— Jonathan Erdman (@wxjerdman) April 25, 2019
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