Tropical Cyclone Gombe - Mar 2022

Tropical storm GOMBE formed on 7 March over the Indian Ocean well off the coast of Madagascar, made landfall over southern Antsiranana Province (north-eastern Madagascar) in the late evening (UTC) of 7 March, with maximum sustained winds up to 65 km/h. On 8 March at 6.00 UTC, its centre was located inland in northern Toamasina Province, with maximum sustained winds of 55 km/h (tropical depression) [...] Meteo Madagascar has issued a warning for strong wind over the whole coastal area of northern Madagascar. (ECHO, 8 Mar 2022)

Tropical cyclone GOMBE continued westward and passed over northern Madagascar (particularly northern Toamasina, and Mahajanga Provinces) on 8 March, as a tropical depression[ [...] Over the next 48 hours, heavy rainfall is expected to continue over northern Madagascar. Very heavy rainfall, strong wind and storm surge are forecast over northern and central Mozambique starting from 10 March. (ECHO, 9 Mar 2022)

Three years after Cyclone Idai hit central Mozambique, severe tropical cyclone Gombe made landfall in Mossuril district, Nampula province, in the early hours of 11 March with maximum sustained winds up to 190km/h [...] According to preliminary information from the national authorities, a total of 18,345 people have been affected, 20 people have been injured and another ten have been killed in Nampula province. (OCHA, 12 Mar 2022)

To date, Gombe has affected 100,441 people (20,307 families) in both Nampula and Zambezia provinces, and caused 15 deaths and injured 50 people, according to preliminary data released by the Government. Moreover, the Cyclone has displaced 11,629 people, who are currently hosted in temporary accommodation centers. Gombe also completely destroyed 11,882 houses and severely damaged 16 health centers, 346 classrooms (affecting 14,775 students), 141 electricity poles, and 130km of roads. These figures are expected to rise as in-depth needs assessments are currently taking place. (OCHA, 14 Mar 2022)

In Malawi, the number of fatalities due to the passage of tropical cyclone GOMBE across the Southern Region increased to six, the impact assessments are ongoing. (ECHO, 15 Mar 2022)

Mozambique: According to the latest data from the Institute for Disaster Management and Risk Reduction (INGD), to date, Gombe affected at least 736,015 people (148,253 families), caused 63 deaths, and injured 108 people. While the number of people affected has significantly been increasing, the number of displaced people hosted at accommodation centers has declined from more than 23,000 to 14,119 people, indicating that people have started returning to their homes as flood waters recede. The number of accommodations centers established by the Government has decreased from 49 to 34. A total of 141,854 houses have been partially damaged or totally destroyed along with 69 health centers, 1,458 classrooms (affecting 143,904 students), 2,764 electricity poles and 12 water systems. A total of 91,177 hectares of crops have been lost with grave concern for the food security outlook of the affected areas. A total of 1,008 km of roads have been severely damaged. (OCHA, 25 Mar 2022)

In 2022, Mozambique was affected by three natural disasters during the cyclonic season (October 2021 to April 2022). Tropical Cyclone Gombe hit the country on 11 March as a Category 3 cyclone in the wake of two extreme weather events - Tropical Storm Ana and Tropical Depression Dumako - which had struck six weeks earlier, affecting 200,000 people.

Tropical Cyclone Gombe left a trail of severe damage and devastation on its path. The cyclone affected 736,000 people and displaced some 23,000 people, causing extensive damage to infrastructures. While the Government's preparedness and response efforts along with the response by humanitarian partners played a critical role in preventing further loss of lives and quickly responding to the unfolding needs of the displaced people who had lost everything, the rising humanitarian needs outstripped the capacity of humanitarian organizations to respond to the needs brought by the disaster.(OCHA, 28 Jun 2022)