Tropical Storm Jude: Flash Update No. 2 for Mozambique (10 March 2025)

Tropical Cyclone Jude struck the Mossuril district in Nampula on 10 March 2025, with winds reaching 140 km/h. Around 780,000 individuals are at risk in Nampula and Zambezia due to high winds and rainfall. Humanitarian efforts are strained from previous cyclones and cholera outbreaks. Assessment teams are positioned to address the situation, with flooding alerts issued, and the response remains underfunded.

Tropical Cyclone Jude made landfall in the Mossuril district, Nampula province, on 10 March 2025, exhibiting maximum sustained winds of 140 km/h and gusts up to 195 km/h. Authorities estimate that approximately 780,000 individuals are at risk due to the cyclone’s destructive winds and torrential rainfall, particularly in Nampula and Zambezia provinces. The Hydrological Department has issued flooding alerts for various river basins in the region.

In response to the impending disaster, the Mozambique Anticipatory Action (AA) Framework for Cyclones has been activated. Financial support from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has been allocated to humanitarian partners to facilitate anticipatory actions prior to the cyclone’s arrival. However, humanitarian efforts are strained, compounded by concurrent responses to previous cyclones Chido and Dikeledi, as well as ongoing crises such as cholera outbreaks, food insecurity, and political conflict, leading to challenges in resource mobilization amid declining humanitarian funds.

The cyclone moving over Nampula is expected to persist until the evening of 10 March, delivering heavy rainfall—exceeding 250 mm within 24 hours—and violent thunderstorms, which may lead to flooding across Nampula, Zambezia, Cabo Delgado, and Sofala provinces. Initial assessments indicate significant damage to housing, road infrastructure, and utilities. Relevant agencies, including INGD and IOM-DTM, have deployed teams to perform rapid needs assessments in accessible locations.

The cyclone’s trajectory places over 780,468 individuals at very high and high risk, including approximately 508,167 individuals in Nampula province and 272,302 in Zambezia. The cholera situation remains concerning, with 36 cases reported in Nampula and 8 in Zambezia in the preceding 24 hours. The cholera response is facing obstacles due to past storm damage to health and sanitation facilities and misinformation, heightening the risk of the disease spreading during population movements tied to preventive evacuations.

Cyclone Jude marks the third occurrence of cyclonic activity in Mozambique in three months, following the devastation wrought by Cyclones Chido and Dikeledi in late 2024 and early 2025, respectively. The cumulative impact of these storms has left the affected populations, particularly in Nampula, struggling to recover, with only 14 percent of those targeted receiving essential life-saving assistance in designated districts.

In conclusion, Tropical Cyclone Jude poses a substantial threat to Mozambique, particularly in the Nampula and Zambezia provinces, where thousands are at risk from severe weather conditions. The humanitarian response is stretched thin, exacerbated by recent cyclones and ongoing health crises. Urgent actions are required to address immediate vulnerabilities, especially concerning cholera outbreaks. Coordination of resources and support from international partners is essential for effective disaster management and recovery efforts in the impacted regions.

Original Source: www.unocha.org