Cyclone Jude Disrupts Nampula Province: Extensive Damage and Humanitarian Impacts

Cyclone Jude has left over 272,000 customers without electricity in Nampula, Mozambique, damaging power lines and infrastructure. The cyclone also led to fatalities, injuries, and extensive impacts on local schools. Damage is estimated at about 100 million meticais. The rainy season heightens the risk of such weather events, posing ongoing challenges for the region.

In northern Mozambique, approximately 272,757 customers are currently without electricity in Nampula province due to the recent passage of tropical cyclone Jude, as announced by the Mozambican electricity company, Eletricidade de Mozambique (EDM). This severe weather event has caused extensive damage, including the destruction of 74 kilometers of power lines, the collapse of six transformer stations, and two high voltage towers along the Namialo to Monapoque line.

The cyclone has particularly impacted the power supply to major substations in Nampula, Angoche, and Nacala, affecting approximately 15 districts and various neighborhoods. According to estimates, the total damage incurred from cyclone Jude amounts to around 100 million meticais (approximately €1.4 million). Restoration efforts have been complicated by blocked access roads; however, power has been partially restored in some urban areas such as Nampula, Nacala, and specific districts.

The repercussions of cyclone Jude extend beyond electricity outages, with at least six fatalities reported, alongside 20 injuries and approximately 9,525 individuals affected across the provinces of Nampula, Niassa, and Zambézia. Additionally, educational facilities have suffered, impacting 17,401 schoolchildren, 264 teachers, with damages to 59 schools and 181 classrooms, as reported by the National Institute for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (INGD).

Cyclone Jude made its landfall early Monday, with wind speeds of 140 kilometers per hour and gusts reaching up to 195 kilometers per hour. A meteorologist from the National Meteorological Institute (INAM) indicated that the cyclone subsequently weakened into a severe tropical storm, which may lead to further precipitation of up to 250 millimeters in a 24-hour period. The INGD anticipates that around 341,000 people may ultimately be affected by this weather system, with emergency operational committees already mobilizing assistance for those in need.

Mozambique is currently experiencing its rainy season, which lasts from October to April. The country has seen recent cyclone activity, including the impact of cyclones Chido and Dikeledi, which affected the northern regions between December and January, with around 736,000 people impacted and significant infrastructure damage reported.

Since 2019, extreme weather events such as cyclones and storms have led to at least 1,016 fatalities in Mozambique, affecting approximately 4.9 million individuals, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE). The country is considered highly vulnerable to climate change consequences, with recurrent flooding and tropical cyclones as well as extended drought periods becoming more common.

The recent impact of cyclone Jude in Mozambique has resulted in significant electricity outages and damages, affecting hundreds of thousands of individuals and various sectors, including education. The resultant humanitarian crisis underscores Mozambique’s vulnerability to extreme weather events, exacerbated by climate change, highlighting the need for ongoing support and disaster preparedness in the region. As restoration efforts continue, the government and partner organizations are mobilizing resources to assist affected populations.

Original Source: clubofmozambique.com