A weakened cyclone freddy which pummeled Madagascar Tuesday night with heavy rains and strong destructive winds has killed four people and is continuing to wreak havoc in the southwest of The Indian Ocean Nation.
Freddy battered the western city of Mananjary and left 16.660 people displaced and damaged nearly 5,000 homes in the country according to the latest provisional assessment by Madagascar's risk and disaster management office.
The cyclone had waned slightly over land with the state's meteorological office measuring average winds of 50 kilometers per hour and reduced gusts of 70 kilometers per hour.
Red alerts issued for madagascar's east coast were lifted wednesday morning and the southwestern regions of the island have now been placed on "blue alert" indicating a phase of post-cyclone damage assessment rescue and recovery.
According to authorities 64 tons of relief food rations and provisions have been availed in the region to help the population.
freddy which is now classified as a "moderate tropical storm" is projected to leave malagasy islands wednesday evening for the mozambican channel where it is expected to regain strength as it barrels towards mainland africa with mozambique in its path.
