HIGHLIGHTS
- Tropical Cyclone Dikeledi made passage in the north of Madagascar on 11 January, causing heavy rainfall and strong winds.
- Over 5,000 people were affected including three deaths and 352 people displaced while 750 children are out of school as winds destroyed over 60 schools.
- Humanitarian partners are providing assistance to the affected people.
- Tropical Cyclone Dikeledi landed at the tropical cyclone stage in Nampula Province, south of Ihla de Mozambique in the early afternoon of 13 January. Nampula, Cabo Delgado and Zambezia Provinces are experiencing very degraded weather conditions.
SITUATION OVERVIEW
Tropical Cyclone Dikeledi passage in the extreme north of Madagascar on 11 January directly affected 5,216 people including causing three deaths and displaced 352 people in six temporary sites, according to the National Office for Risk and Disaster Management (BNGRC). Destruction to infrastructure was also reported with nearly 1,300 houses flooded, 370 damaged and 11 completely destroyed. In addition, at least 20 classrooms have been destroyed, and 49 others partially damaged, leaving 750 children out of school. Over 22,500 children were projected to be affected in areas that were expected to be hit by the cyclone, according to Save the Children. Additionally, five health centres were damaged, according to the heath cluster. The national road connecting the Capital with the north is temporarily cut-off in Ambilobe District, a portion of the road is flooded.
Meanwhile, Dikeledi landed at the tropical cyclone stage in Nampula Province, south of Ihla de Mozambique in the early afternoon of 13 January, according to Meteo France. The provinces of Nampula, Cabo Delgado and Zambezia were experiencing very degraded weather conditions (very heavy rains or even torrential rains) particularly close to the impact zone. Destructive or very destructive winds as well as a dangerous sea state with a risk of marine submersion between Ihla de Mocambique and the north of Quelimane have also been reported. According to the National Institute for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (INGD), the cyclone was to approach Nampula Province, with winds of around 150 kilometres per hour and gusts of around 180 kilometres per hour, accompanied by heavy rainfall of over 200 mm in 24 hours and severe thunderstorms. Sofala and Manica provinces are projected to receive heavy rainfall with strong winds and severe thunderstorms on 15 and 16 January, according to INGD. Two districts in adjoining Zambézia Province may also be affected.
The system is expected to transit over Nampula Province on 13 January, gradually curving its trajectory towards the south. It will return to Mozambique Channel on 13 or 14 January, near the town of Angoche. It will regain activity up to the potential stage of cyclone or even intense cyclone on 14 or 15 January, while accelerating its course towards the south-southeast, which would bring it closer to the west coast of the Malagasy province of Toliara, according to Meteo France. On 16 or 17 January, the system is expected to cross towards the southern latitudes taking a south-easterly direction.
Disclaimer
- UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
- To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.