Cyclone Jude has devastated Mozambique, impacting education for around 20,000 children and affecting 747,000 people with flooding and destruction. Significant infrastructure damage has occurred, raising risks of diseases and disrupting essential services. UNICEF reports urgent needs for additional resources to respond to this crisis.
Cyclone Jude, the third cyclone to strike Mozambique in recent months, has significantly impacted education and infrastructure. Initial assessments estimate that approximately 20,000 children have lost access to schooling due to extensive damage to schools, while over 20,000 homes have been destroyed.
Nearly 747,000 individuals, including a substantial number of children, were affected by Cyclone Jude, which brought winds reaching 195 km/h along with torrential rains and flash flooding in the northern provinces of Nampula, Niassa, and Zambezia this week.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reports that over 17,000 children currently lack educational access, with this figure likely to rise. Additionally, severe flooding increases the risk of water-borne diseases such as cholera and diarrhoea, posing significant threats to children’s health.
Infrastructure damage also includes roads, water, and electricity systems, along with health facilities and schools, which disrupts the distribution of essential goods. This devastating situation follows the earlier cyclones Chido and Dikeledi that affected more than 730,000 Mozambicans, destroying over 150,000 homes.
Mary Louise Eagleton, UNICEF Representative in Mozambique, stated, “The impact of Cyclone Jude on hundreds of thousands of children and families already affected by Cyclones Chido and Dikeledi is devastating. Extreme winds and heavy rains have destroyed critical infrastructure and are depriving vulnerable children of essential services.” She also emphasized that UNICEF, while collaborating with partners and the government, needs urgent additional resources due to the strain of responding to multiple cyclones within a short time.
Cyclone Jude has severely impacted Mozambique, leaving over 17,000 children without education and exacerbating existing vulnerabilities from prior cyclones. The destruction of schools and infrastructure, coupled with risks of water-borne diseases, poses a substantial threat to the population. UNICEF calls for immediate support to address the urgent needs of those affected, highlighting the strain of repeated disasters on resources.
Original Source: clubofmozambique.com
