Mozambique: Flash Update on Tropical Cyclone Jude as of 10 March 2025
Tropical Cyclone Jude made landfall in Mozambique on 10 March 2025, impacting approximately 780,000 individuals in Nampula and Zambezia provinces. With maximum winds of 140 km/h, early responses activated humanitarian frameworks, but significant funding shortages and ongoing crises from previous cyclones exacerbate the situation. Immediate assessments and interventions are crucial as local health conditions deteriorate due to flooding and cholera outbreaks.
On 10 March 2025, Tropical Cyclone Jude struck the Mossuril district in Nampula province, delivering maximum sustained winds of 140 km/h and gusts reaching up to 195 km/h. This severe weather system has placed at least 780,000 individuals in Nampula and Zambezia provinces at significant risk due to expected high winds and torrential rainfall, as indicated by the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management (INGD). Furthermore, the Hydrological Department in Nampula has issued flood alerts for key rivers in the area.
In response to the impending danger, the Mozambique Anticipatory Action (AA) Framework for Cyclones has been activated, with prompt contributions from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) designated for humanitarian activities available three days prior to landfall. However, ongoing humanitarian efforts are strained due to concurrent challenges from prior cyclones and other crises, such as cholera outbreaks and food insecurity, leading to a notable lack of resources amid diminishing humanitarian funding levels. Currently, the Tropical Cyclones Flash Appeal is only 0.2 percent funded.
As Cyclone Jude impacted the region, it is projected to result in heavy rain exceeding 250 mm within 24 hours, likely causing flash flooding in Nampula, Zambezia, Cabo Delgado, and Sofala provinces. Local flooding conditions have already been identified in Nacala and Ilha de Moçambique. Preliminary assessments suggest that the cyclone has damaged housing and disrupted critical infrastructure, including roads and communication systems. Teams from INGD and IOM-DTM are prepared to conduct rapid assessments in affected areas once they become accessible.
Approximately 780,468 individuals are currently considered at high risk as a result of the cyclone’s trajectory, with 508,167 residents in Nampula and 272,302 in Zambezia most affected. Compounding the crisis, cholera cases have surfaced in both provinces, with recent reports indicating 36 and 8 cases in Nampula and Zambezia, respectively. The disrupted health and water sanitation facilities from earlier cyclones complicate the cholera response, while flood-related population movements may further propagate the disease.
Cyclone Jude is the third cyclone to impact Mozambique in the preceding three months, following the devastation caused by Cyclones Chido and Dikeledi, which collectively affected 684,000 individuals in the northern provinces, leaving many in Nampula with inadequate support. Currently, only 14 percent of the intended target population in four districts has received critical life-saving assistance, reflecting the urgent need for a more coordinated humanitarian response.
In conclusion, Tropical Cyclone Jude has significantly impacted Mozambique, particularly in Nampula and Zambezia provinces, posing threats to nearly 780,000 people. While an anticipatory action framework has been mobilized, the humanitarian situation is dire, compounded by recent previous cyclones and ongoing health crises such as cholera. With funding insufficient and the affected populations still vulnerable, immediate and effective humanitarian interventions are critical to address the emerging challenges.
Original Source: reliefweb.int
