Tropical Cyclone Jude has developed into a severe tropical storm, impacting Nampula province and bringing heavy rains across multiple provinces in Mozambique. Approximately 747,000 are at high risk of severe weather impacts, while 2.1 million others face moderate threats. The situation is further complicated by an ongoing cholera outbreak and resource strains due to recent cyclones. The humanitarian response is ongoing but challenged by significant infrastructural damage and access issues.
On March 11, 2025, Tropical Cyclone Jude transitioned into a severe tropical storm while affecting Nampula province. This system has produced rainfalls of up to 100 mm within 24 hours across nine provinces in Mozambique. Approximately 747,000 individuals are at high risk, and an additional 2.1 million people are moderately at risk of severe winds, heavy rains, and potential flash flooding in regions such as Nampula, Niassa, and Zambezia.
The Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (INAM) has issued a warning for further extensive rainfall, predicting up to 200 mm in Nampula, Niassa, and Zambezia provinces over the next 24 hours. Concurrently, the Hydrological Department in Nampula has announced flooding alerts for major rivers, emphasizing the flooding risks posed by the cyclone.
In anticipation of the cyclone’s impact, the Mozambique Anticipatory Action (AA) Framework for Cyclones was activated. The Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) provided swift funding for humanitarian partners to implement early actions three days before the cyclone made landfall.
The cyclone aggravates an existing cholera outbreak, first declared by the Ministry of Health in Nampula’s Larde district on March 8, which is now the fourth district affected. Humanitarian resources are already scarce due to the simultaneous responses required from previous cyclones Chido (December 2024) and Dikeledi (January 2025), alongside ongoing food insecurity and conflict issues.
Tropical Cyclone Jude continues to generate extreme weather conditions across Mozambique, with substantial rainfall observed in multiple provinces including Cabo Delgado and Sofala. The cyclone, last observed near Malawi on March 12, is expected to move southeast into the Mozambique Channel by March 13.
Nampula province was particularly hard-hit, experiencing winds of up to 140 km/h, resulting in severe infrastructural damage, including uprooted roofing and collapsed structures. The persistent heavy rainfall has exacerbated coastal erosion and flooding, leading to significant access challenges for relief efforts.
Initial assessments reveal immense damage to housing and critical public infrastructure, including transportation and communication networks. Relief operations are hindered as many roads, bridges, and culverts have been destroyed, complicating movements of personnel and supplies from Cabo Delgado to Nampula.
Plans for humanitarian assessments in areas like Nacala Porto have been postponed due to impassable roads. However, INGD and IOM-DTM teams remain on standby to assess damage where possible. Cholera cases reported by the Ministry of Health have risen, highlighting a growing public health crisis exacerbated by prior infrastructural damage and ongoing misinformation campaigns.
This cyclone marks the third severe weather event impacting Mozambique within three months, following Cyclones Chido and Dikeledi, which previously resulted in significant destruction and affected approximately 684,000 people. The ongoing humanitarian response has reached only a fraction of the assistance required among the population still recovering from earlier disasters.
Tropical Cyclone Jude’s emergence as a severe tropical storm poses significant risks, affecting over 3 million individuals across Mozambique. The preemptive response framework has enabled some preparatory actions, but existing cholera outbreaks, ongoing humanitarian challenges, and prior cyclone impacts complicate relief efforts significantly. With critical infrastructure damaged and further rain anticipated, the need for efficient humanitarian coordination and resources remains pressing, highlighting the vulnerabilities faced by affected populations in Mozambique.
Original Source: reliefweb.int
