Frelimo Advocates Increased Aid for Cyclone Jude Victims in Mozambique

Frelimo has urged the Mozambican government to enhance support for victims of Tropical Cyclone Jude, following the cyclone’s tragic impact that claimed six lives and affected thousands. Calls for increased disaster management and safety measures were made by spokesperson Ludmila Maguni. The cyclone has severely disrupted education in multiple provinces and is part of a broader pattern of climate-related disasters in Mozambique, which has faced numerous extreme weather events historically.

On the 8th of October, 2023, the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo) urged the government to amplify support for individuals impacted by Tropical Cyclone Jude, which made landfall on Monday and has tragically resulted in six fatalities. Frelimo’s Political Commission spokesperson, Ludmila Maguni, emphasized the necessity for assistance, stating, “We reiterate our appeal to the government, through the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD), to increase assistance to the affected populations and to implement security measures.”

Cyclone Jude has caused significant destruction, with official reports indicating that at least six individuals have lost their lives, 20 have been injured, and approximately 9,525 have been affected across the northern provinces of Nampula and Niassa, as well as Zambézia in central Mozambique. Furthermore, the cyclone has disrupted the education of 17,401 students, affecting 264 teachers and damaging 59 schools along with 181 classrooms. Meteorologist Manuel Francisco noted that Jude entered Mozambique with sustained winds of 140 kilometers per hour, which peaked at gusts of 195 kilometers per hour, later diminishing to a severe tropical storm.

As Tropical Cyclone Jude continues to affect the region, the rainy season, which spans from October to April, has already witnessed the impact of other cyclones, Chido and Dikeledi. These previous cyclones, occurring between December and January, primarily affected Cabo Delgado and Nampula provinces, displacing about 736,000 people and causing extensive infrastructural damage. The National Institute of Statistics (INE) reports that from 2019 to 2023, extreme weather events, including cyclones and storms, have led to at least 1,016 deaths and impacted roughly 4.9 million individuals.

Mozambique’s vulnerability to climate change is evident, as the nation continues to face recurrent flooding and tropical cyclones during the rainy season, alongside severe droughts.

The call to action by Frelimo highlights the urgent need for governmental response to support victims of Tropical Cyclone Jude and illustrates Mozambique’s ongoing battle with climate-related disasters. With the rainy season leading to conditions conducive for such extreme weather events, enhancing disaster preparedness and response mechanisms should be a priority for the government. The historical data underscores the significance of this issue, as Mozambique grapples with the overarching challenges posed by climate change and its devastating impacts on the population.

Original Source: clubofmozambique.com