Cyclone Freddy began to hit Madagascar this evening, accompanied by gale-force winds and heavy rainfall. Authorities in the east African island nation have suspended the operation of schools and public transport, while already reporting the first death due to the cyclone.

According to Madagascar’s meteorological service, Cyclone Freddy reached the southeastern tip of the island nation tonight, slightly weakened, with winds blowing at an average speed of 130 km/h and gusts reaching 180 km/h. In a related statement, it highlighted the danger facing coastal areas, citing heavy rainfall and waves of more than 8 meters off the southeast coast.

A 27-year-old man drowned near the port of Mahanoro, while more than 7,000 people were displaced in the Vatovavi region, the national disaster agency said.

“Roofs of houses were blown away by the gale-force winds,” said Tania Rajaonarivoni, a resident of the town of Mananjari.

Almost a month after the passage of tropical storm Seneso that killed 33 people and left thousands homeless, Madagascar is facing a devastating cyclone.

Cyclone Freddy is then expected to head west and hit Mozambique and Zimbabwe, affecting about 3.3 people according to estimates by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).