Cyclone Jude Causes Widespread Destruction in East Africa
Cyclone Jude has resulted in 17 fatalities in East Africa, with significant destruction in Mozambique and Madagascar, displacing thousands and affecting 400,000 people. The cyclone brought maximum winds of 140 kph and heavy rainfall, leading to widespread flooding and damage to infrastructure.
Cyclone Jude has caused devastating destruction in East Africa, resulting in the fatalities of 17 individuals, with 16 reported in Mozambique and one in Madagascar, as detailed in the latest report from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO). Over 130 individuals sustained injuries, while four remain unaccounted for as of March 18.
More than 10,500 individuals have been displaced in Madagascar and nearly 5,000 in Malawi, with approximately 400,000 people affected cumulatively across the three impacted nations. The cyclone made its initial landfall in northern Madagascar on March 8, leading thousands to seek refuge in temporary shelters, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
After strengthening over the Mozambique Channel, Cyclone Jude struck the coastal district of Mossuril in Mozambique’s Nampula province on March 10, with winds reaching maximum sustained speeds of 140 kilometers per hour (about 87 mph) and gusts exceeding 195 kilometers per hour (121 mph). Excessive rainfall, surpassing 250 millimeters (9.8 inches) within a 24-hour span, resulted in significant flooding in coastal regions.
The cyclone disrupted air travel, leading to the cancellation and delay of numerous flights, while 900 homes were destroyed in Mozambique. The World Food Programme reported extensive flooding of 49,593 hectares (122,547 acres) of cropland in Monapo, while a cholera outbreak was identified in the area of Larde, according to OCHA.
A UNICEF representative informed Bloomberg that the flooding was exacerbated by already saturated river basins and dams in Nampula, where over 400,000 residents experienced power outages as a direct consequence of the cyclone. Prior to the storm’s arrival in northern Mozambique, the U.N. Central Emergency Response Fund allocated $6 million to facilitate early warnings, shelter provision, and water treatment resources, according to OCHA.
Cyclone Jude impacted Malawi between March 10 and 12 before returning to Mozambique. OCHA’s report indicates that 70,000 homes, 247 schools, 72 health facilities, 48 water systems, and 18 bridges, alongside 73 kilometers (45 miles) of electrical lines, had been completely or partially destroyed by March 18.
This cyclone marks the third of its kind to strike Mozambique in under three months, following Cyclones Chido in December and Dikeledi in January. Cyclone Jude subsequently re-entered Madagascar on March 15, affecting its southern tip. Schools sustained substantial damage, with 89 classrooms destroyed and 182 partially damaged, leaving approximately 48,000 students unable to attend school as of March 18, as reported by OCHA.
OCHA noted that this was the first occurrence of a severe weather system traversing the entire southern region of Madagascar, leading to over a thousand flooded homes, approximately 1,600 damaged houses, and 1,160 destroyed structures. The districts of Ampanihy, Bekily, Beloha, and Tsihombe remain inaccessible, hampering humanitarian assistance via both land and air.
In summary, Cyclone Jude has inflicted severe damage in East Africa, causing 17 fatalities, displacing thousands, and affecting approximately 400,000 people across Madagascar and Mozambique. Key infrastructure has suffered extensive damage, illustrating the dire need for continued humanitarian aid and disaster preparedness in the region as it recovers from this natural disaster.
Original Source: news.mongabay.com
