More than 600 people lost their lives in Hurricane Freddy, which was effective in Malawi, located in eastern Africa. In Malawi, which was hit hardest by the hurricane, thousands of people were left homeless, while more than 345,000 were affected by the hurricane.

Charles Kalemba, Head of the Malawi National Disaster Administration, stated that the search and rescue efforts that have been going on for 17 days in the region will be terminated, "There are still about 537 missing people. Considering the 17 days, the probability of survival is low. 537 missing people will be declared dead."

Hurricane Freddy first struck Madagascar on February 21 and Mozambique 3 days later, displacing thousands of people in both countries. In a statement made by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), it was stated that the storm, which has been effective over the Indian Ocean for 32 days, may be the longest storm on record.