Storm Ana Deaths Rise to 88 in Africa

Locals look at a wreck washed away during Tropical Storm Ana on the flooded Shire river, an outlet of Lake Malawi at the village of Thabwa in Chikwawa district, southern Malawi, on Jan. 26, 2022. Eldson Chagara/Reuters

JOHANNESBURG—Tropical Storm Ana has killed at least 88 people across southern and eastern Africa, with recovery operations still ongoing.

Storm Ana passed over Madagascar on Jan. 22, adding to days of already intense rainfall. The country declared a state of disaster on Thursday night, reporting a rise in the death toll from Ana to 48, with people killed by landslides and collapsing buildings or washed away.

Ana then made landfall in Mozambique on Jan. 24, where 20 have been reported dead, before moving inland to Malawi, where it triggered massive power cuts. Malawi’s death toll rose to 20 on Thursday.

A local carries his ware as he walks past a cut-off road damaged by tropical storm Ana at Thabwa village, in Chikwawa district, southern Malawi, on Jan. 26, 2022. Eldson Chagara/Reuters

Across all three nations, Ana has affected hundreds of thousands of people, and lead to widespread flooding and destruction, according to the United Nations.

The region has been repeatedly struck by severe storms and cyclones in recent years, destroying homes, infrastructure, and crops, and displacing large numbers of people.

In some cases, communities still recovering are hit again, compounding the impact.

A woman looks on at her house destroyed by tropical storm Ana at Kanjedza village, in Chikwawa district, southern Malawi, on Jan. 26, 2022. Eldson Chagara/Reuters