Tropical Cyclone Jude struck Mozambique on March 10, 2025, causing severe damage and displacing communities. Humanitarian response capacities are stretched due to prior cyclones, and temporary accommodation centers have been established to assist those affected. Urgent needs include food, water, and shelter, alongside efforts to improve living conditions and educational recovery.
The Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) Cluster in Mozambique issued Situation Report No. 1 regarding Tropical Cyclone Jude on March 13, 2025. The National Institute for Disaster and Risk Reduction Management announced that Cyclone Jude formed on March 6, 2025. It made landfall on March 10 in Mossuril, Nampula province, with winds reaching 195 km/h and rainfall exceeding 250 mm in 24 hours, resulting in significant infrastructure damage, loss of life, injuries, community displacements, and heightened humanitarian needs in both urban and rural areas.
The humanitarian response in northern Mozambique is currently burdened due to the aftermath of previous cyclones, particularly Cyclone Chido in December 2024 and Cyclone Dikeledi in January 2025. In response to the emerging crisis, anticipatory actions were activated by the Technical Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management on March 8, prompting the CCCM Cluster to initiate response efforts in Angoche and Mogincual the following day. Prep activities included distributing tools for cleaning and repair, disseminating crucial preparedness messages, engaging local disaster risk reduction committees, and supporting the National Institute for Disaster Management (INGD).
Following the cyclone’s impact, local authorities have established accommodation centers in Nampula and Zambézia provinces, deploying site management teams to facilitate initial assessments and coordination. The CCCM and Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) teams reported identifying 59 temporary accommodation facilities in Nampula and one in Zambézia, which are currently housing affected individuals. However, most of these sites lack formal recognition as accommodation centers, complicating the distribution of aid. There is an urgent need for collaboration among the CCCM Cluster, DTM, CLGRD, and local authorities to ensure effective assistance and accurate mapping.
Families that have been displaced are resorting to temporary shelters, including barracks, schools, churches, unfinished buildings, and neighboring yards, while they endeavor to rebuild their homes. Immediate needs encompass food, water, medical assistance, sanitation, hygiene, education, and nutrition. Improving living conditions in temporary accommodations is critical, including providing safe living environments, strengthening coordination mechanisms, and elevating awareness regarding fire safety, protection against sexual exploitation and abuse, and cholera prevention. Additionally, establishing essential services like handwashing stations and communal toilets is necessary to alleviate waiting times for assistance and enhance overall living conditions.
The cyclone’s impact has impeded educational continuity, with many schools damaged or repurposed as shelters, necessitating collaborative efforts for educational recovery. Partners are encouraged to engage in proactive coordination and integrate education-related needs into response strategies to mitigate the cyclone’s long-lasting effects. The CCCM Cluster regularly updates the inventory of temporary accommodation sites in association with DTM and local authorities, although ongoing family relocations may lead to both planned and unplanned deactivations of these facilities due to deteriorating conditions.
The report underscores the critical situation following Tropical Cyclone Jude, necessitating urgent humanitarian responses and coordinated efforts to manage the needs of displaced populations. With extensive damage reported and prior cyclones taxing available resources, immediate actions must be taken to improve living conditions and facilitate educational recovery for affected communities. Stakeholders are encouraged to enhance collaboration and proactively address the ongoing struggles of those displaced.
Original Source: reliefweb.int
