Tropical Cyclone Kasia formed in the Mozambique Channel on Friday and is tracking between Madagascar and mainland Mozambique with sustained winds of about 110 kilometres an hour and gusts reaching roughly 160 kilometres an hour.
Meteorological trackers expect the storm to intensify further over the weekend before weakening early next week. The system is the first named storm of the 2026-27 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season.
Even without a direct landfall, a storm of this strength in the narrow channel can push dangerous surf and heavy rain bands into coastal communities in both countries, where flood defences are limited and many homes sit in low-lying areas.
Regional disaster agencies are monitoring the track closely. Mozambique and Madagascar are still rebuilding from a string of destructive cyclones in recent seasons, and forecasters urged coastal residents to follow official bulletins as Kasia evolves.
