Cyclone expected to hit Mozambique by Thursday

Storm Report South Africa has reported that tropical storm called Idai has intensified over the Mozambican channel.

The report states that Invest 98S, a tropical depression in the Mozambican channel intensified to a moderate tropical storm overnight, Lowvelder reports.

This tropical storm is now called #Idai, named by Meteo France, and is intensifying off the western coast of Madagascar this morning. The storm could rapidly intensify as it turns south and then westwards over the Mozambique Channel, with landfall likely in central Mozambique on Thursday or Friday as an intense cyclone.

The nature of its intensification phase will likely be determined by its early track, with a higher chance of intensification if the storm continues to move at a significant speed without stalling.

The precursor to Idai has already killed 23 in Malawi, with 12 still missing and 29 injured.

Green alert for Mozambique has been issued and direct impact remains high.

Idai has maximum winds of 75 kilometres per hour and maximum gusts of 110 kilometres per hour.

At this stage, it poses a minimal threat to South Africa but they are monitoring the situation and will by Tuesday night be able to forecast possible impacts should there be anything.

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