Tropical Cyclone Jude: Impact and Response Update in Mozambique

Tropical Cyclone Jude made landfall in Mozambique, threatening over 780,000 individuals with high winds and heavy rainfall. Significant humanitarian challenges arise from concurrent responses to previous cyclones and ongoing health crises like cholera, with inadequate funding for response efforts. Early mobilization and alerts have been initiated, but damage to infrastructure and public health poses serious risks.

On March 10, 2025, Tropical Cyclone Jude made landfall in the Mossuril district of Nampula province, packing maximum sustained winds of 140 km/h and gusts up to 195 km/h. The cyclone poses a significant threat to at least 780,000 individuals in the Nampula and Zambezia provinces due to potential high winds and torrential rainfall as reported by the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management (INGD). Additionally, the Hydrological Department has issued a flooding alert for key rivers in the region.

In anticipation of this cyclone, early responses were activated via the Mozambique Anticipatory Action Framework for Cyclones. The Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has expedited financial support to humanitarian partners for preventive measures effective three days prior to landfall. However, humanitarian resources are severely strained due to concurrent responses to Cyclones Chido and Dikeledi as well as ongoing issues such as cholera, food insecurity, conflict, and political unrest, compounded by a significant decline in humanitarian funding. The Tropical Cyclones Flash Appeal is currently only 0.2 percent funded.

Cyclone Jude, confirmed by the Mozambique National Institute of Meteorology (INAM), struck Nampula at 06:00 hours local time, with forecasts predicting its presence in the region until the evening of the same day. Heavy rainfall exceeding 250 mm within 24 hours is anticipated, threatening to exacerbate flood conditions in Nampula, Zambezia, Cabo Delgado, and Sofala provinces as indicated by the WFP ADAM flood forecast. Flooding has already been reported in districts such as Nacala and Ilha de Moçambique due to alerts issued for river basins.

Initial reports indicate substantial damage to infrastructures such as roads, electricity, and telecommunication lines. Emergency response teams from INGD and IOM-DTM have been strategically positioned in districts for immediate needs assessments as access allows. In total, 780,468 individuals are identified as being at very high to high risk, comprising 508,167 in Nampula and 272,302 in Zambezia provinces.

Moreover, cholera cases continue to surface in the impacted regions, with 36 cases reported in Nampula and eight in Zambezia in the past 24 hours. The cholera situation, already critical in Nampula, is exacerbated by the prior cyclones’ damage to health and water facilities, misinformation, and violence against healthcare workers. The floods and subsequent population movements resulting from evacuation efforts may further spread the cholera outbreak.

Tropical Storm Jude marks the third cyclone to impact Mozambique in merely three months, following Cyclones Chido and Dikeledi, which have collectively affected approximately 684,000 individuals in Cabo Delgado and Nampula provinces. Recovery efforts in Nampula remain insufficient as only 14 percent of targeted individuals in four districts have received vital assistance from humanitarian efforts due to the ongoing crisis.

In summary, Tropical Cyclone Jude has significantly impacted Mozambique, particularly in the Nampula and Zambezia provinces, with extensive risks to over 780,000 individuals. Despite proactive measures through the Anticipatory Action Framework, resource shortages hinder effective humanitarian responses, aggravated by past cyclones and ongoing health crises like cholera. There is an urgent need to bolster response efforts to mitigate further humanitarian disasters and ensure that affected communities receive necessary support.

Original Source: www.unocha.org