Weather Experts in Malawi have said they are closely monitoring the movements of Tropical Cyclone Batsirai that has developed over the Indian Ocean.
According to Yobu Kachiwanda, Spokesperson for the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services- Batsirai is heading towards Madagascar.
The Cyclone which, according to Kachiwanda, will not have any impact over the country’s weather pattern- will be over Madagascar by 6th February.
However, the spokesperson at the Department, has told MIJ FM that experts are closely monitoring the movements of the new Cyclone.
What is this new cyclone?
A new tropical cyclone named batsirai formed over the Indian Ocean on 27 January and started moving westward, toward Mauritius, Réunion and Madagascar. On 1 February at 0.00 UTC its centre was located over the Ocean, approximately 630 km north-east of Mauritius, 850 km north-east of Réunion and more than 1,400 km north-east of the central coast of Madagascar, with maximum sustained winds of 139 km/h.
BATSIRAI is expected to pass north (between 170 and 210 km) of Mauritius and Réunion on 2-3 February, strengthening. After that, it is forecast to make landfall over the Vatomandry City area (Atsinanana Region, central Madagascar) on 5 January late in the afternoon (UTC), with maximum sustained winds up to 200 km/h.
Over 1-4 February, heavy rainfall, strong wind and storm surge are forecast over the whole Mauritius, the Réunion and all eastern coast of Madagascar.