Northern Mozambique was battered by heavy rains and strong winds on Monday as Cyclone Jude became the third storm to hit the region in just four months.
The cyclone made landfall in the morning with winds reaching 140 km/h (87 mph), and gusts of up to 195 km/h, according to the National Institute of Meteorology (INAM).
According to the National Institute of Meteorology (INAM), the cyclone made landfall in the morning with winds gusting up to 195 km/h and hitting 140 km/h (87 mph).
In the early hours of the morning, the tropical storm made landfall on Nampula province’s Mossuril district.
It caused flooding and significant infrastructural damage, leaving many people homeless and powerless.
The seriousness of the situation surprised locals in Nacala, a province city.
The region’s position is already unstable, with humanitarian response capacities overstretched as a result of two recent cyclones, one in December and the other in January.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) classified the situation as “very bad” and stated that children are especially vulnerable.
Flooding heightens the danger of waterborne diseases such cholera, diarrhoea, and malaria. According to the United Nations, Nampula has the largest number of children of any Mozambican province.
UNICEF has been working with the government to distribute emergency aid kits and other forms of help to those affected.
