Tropical Cyclone Jude: Flash Update and Humanitarian Response in Southern Africa
Tropical Cyclone Jude has led to fatalities and significant displacement in Madagascar and Mozambique as it approached. Thousands are affected by flooding and destruction, prompting urgent humanitarian responses, including the establishment of emergency operations. Funding has been activated to support preparedness and recovery as the cyclone is expected to further impact the region, indicating ongoing challenges due to previous climate events.
On March 8, Moderate Tropical Storm Jude affected Madagascar, resulting in one fatality, one injury, and impacting 4,100 individuals, with 3,617 of them displaced across nine temporary sites, primarily located in Maroantsetra District. The storm led to the flooding of approximately 1,300 houses, damaging 37 and destroying 37 classrooms. As of March 10, Jude had intensified into a Tropical Cyclone, making landfall in Mozambique’s Nampula Province, where it caused heavy rain and destructive winds.
Malawi has issued a Tropical Storm Warning, anticipating initial impacts as of March 10. The Government, alongside OCHA, is coordinating early actions and preparation for the impending storm. As a preventative measure, the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services in Malawi has confirmed early action, with evacuations and logistical plans under development, while schools have been suspended until March 13 to ensure student safety.
The cyclone is projected to weaken as it approaches the Mozambique-Malawi border but could re-intensify as it moves southwest back towards Madagascar, with a potential landfall between March 13 and 14. Humanitarian partners in all affected areas remain vigilant and responsive amid these developments, actively engaging in preparedness measures.
Humanitarian efforts are currently underway across the affected nations, with Malawi establishing an Emergency Operations Centre in Blantyre focused on response coordination. In Madagascar, partners are faced with compounded challenges, responding to both Cyclone Jude and previous extreme weather events while coping with depleted resources. OCHA is facilitating necessary assessments and anticipatory actions in Mozambique to assist those vulnerable to the cyclone’s impact.
Despite the immediate release of $6 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to support Mozambique, the continuous strain of recurrent cycles of severe weather demands additional resources to effectively meet humanitarian needs. Recovery efforts for communities impacted by recent cyclones are ongoing but remain under-resourced, particularly in Madagascar and Malawi, stressing the urgency for supplemental aid and support as the region prepares for another potential disaster.
The effects of Tropical Cyclone Jude, which struck Madagascar and Mozambique, have severely impacted local communities, prompting humanitarian responses across the region. Immediate actions are being coordinated to assist those displaced and at risk, with pre-emptive funding allocated to further these efforts. The challenges posed by ongoing climate events emphasize the need for sustained support and resources to effectively respond and aid recovery in the affected areas.
Original Source: reliefweb.int
