Mozambique Situation Report: Response to Tropical Cyclone Jude (March 2025)

Tropical Cyclone Jude struck Mozambique on March 10, 2025, causing significant damage and displacing communities. The CCCM response is underway, focusing on pre-positioning of tools and coordination with local authorities. Temporary accommodation centers are being established, although many lack formal recognition. Urgent humanitarian needs include food, water, and shelter, while education and living conditions require immediate improvement. Coordination efforts are vital for effective disaster response and recovery.

On March 6, 2025, a low-pressure system in the Indian Ocean transformed into Tropical Cyclone Jude, which impacted Mozambique’s coast on March 10. The cyclone made landfall in the Mossuril district of Nampula province, bringing gusts over 195 km/h and more than 250 mm of rainfall in 24 hours. This event significantly affected Cabo Delgado and Zambézia provinces, leading to infrastructure damage, casualties, injuries, and heightened humanitarian needs among displaced communities.

The humanitarian response capabilities in northern Mozambique are currently stretched thin, having already addressed the repercussions of Cyclones Chido and Dikeledi that struck in December 2024 and January 2025, respectively. Following anticipatory action activation by the Technical Council for Disaster Risk Reduction on March 8, the Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) response commenced on March 9. Response activities included pre-positioning repair tools, disseminating public readiness messages, engaging local disaster committees, and assisting the National Institute for Disaster Management (INGD).

Accommodation centers have been established in various districts of Nampula and Zambézia provinces, managed by local authorities and supported by site management teams for initial needs assessments. CCCM and Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) teams have identified 59 temporary facilities in nine districts of Nampula and one in Zambézia, though they await formal designation as accommodation centers. Enhanced collaboration among CCCM, DTM teams, local authorities, and the Central Disaster Risk Management Chamber (CLGRD) is vital for effective classification and support.

Many families have become night commuters, taking refuge in temporary accommodations such as schoolyards, churches, unfinished buildings, and neighbors’ homes as they work to rebuild. There is an acute requirement for basic provisions including food, water, shelter, health services, sanitation, and education to improve living conditions. The establishment of dignified living environments and basic amenities is critical to mitigate long wait times for assistance and enhance overall conditions for those displaced.

The cyclone has significantly affected education by damaging schools or repurposing them for shelter, thus delaying children’s educational pursuits. There is a pressing need for coordinated actions to support displaced families and facilitate educational recovery. Partners are urged to actively engage in bilateral coordination while integrating educational needs into their response strategies to alleviate the cyclone’s long-term repercussions.

The CCCM Cluster continues to update and maintain lists of temporary accommodation facilities in collaboration with DTM and local authorities. However, with families leaving these sites, both planned and unplanned deactivations are observed, driven by challenging living conditions.

The emergence of Tropical Cyclone Jude has led to significant humanitarian challenges in Mozambique, exacerbating the needs precipitated by previous cyclones. The CCCM response is essential for facilitating coordination and support in affected regions, particularly regarding temporary accommodations. The urgent need for basic services, including food, sanitation, and education recovery is critical to addressing immediate necessities while planning for long-term recovery. Enhanced collaboration among responders remains crucial to effectively address the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Original Source: reliefweb.int