Southern Africa: Tropical Storm Jude Flash Update No. 2 (as of 18 March 2025)

HIGHLIGHTS

• Nearly 340,000 people have been affected, and thousands displaced across Madagascar, Malawi and Mozambique after Tropical Storm Jude struck parts of Southern Africa between 6 and 16 March.
• The storm left a trail of destruction across several areas in the three affected countries, damaging infrastructure and crops, blocking roads, and disrupting access to essential services.
• Humanitarian partners supported government-led response efforts, including search and rescue operations, activation of emergency operation centres and mobilizing resources.
• While the rains are beneficial for agriculture, especially for countries recovering from severe drought, there are concerns that the aftermath of the storm may lead to a spike in cholera cases, particularly in Malawi and Mozambique.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Nearly 340,000 people have been affected, and scores killed across Madagascar, Malawi and Mozambique after Tropical Storm Jude struck parts of Southern Africa between 6 and 16 March. In Madagascar, at least 15,000 people were affected after Tropical Storm Jude made its second landfall on 15 March, primarily in Atsimo Andrefana Region in the south. The storm resulted in one death and displaced 10,587 people across 24 temporary sites. Jude made landfall about 70 km north of Itampolo Municipality in Ampanihy District, then crossed several isolated districts in the Grand Sud (Ampanihy, Beloha, Tsihombe, Bekily), followed by Ambovombe and Amboasary, before exiting the island through Tolagnaro District on 16 March.

Much of the damage was caused by strong winds, as most towns and cities in Grand Sud are structurally fragile and highly vulnerable to cyclones. This was also the first time a strong weather system crossed the entire southern region. The storm led to severe destruction, with 1,172 houses flooded, 1,640 partially damaged, and 1,160 destroyed. The Education Sector was heavily impacted, leaving 48,000 students out of school, as 89 classrooms were destroyed and 182 partially damaged. Successive severe weather systems since February—including Tropical Storm Elvis, the inter-tropical convergence zone, Tropical Cyclone Honde and Tropical Storm Jude—have brought heavy rains, further complicating accessibility across Grand Sud. Four districts—Ampanihy, Bekily, Beloha and Tsihombe—remain inaccessible by road or UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), hindering the delivery of assistance. Additionally, the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) has restricted road movement on National Road 10, which connects Toliara, Betioky, Ampanihy, Beloha, Tsihombe, and Ambovombe due to poor accessibility conditions. The storm had first made landfall in northern Madagascar on 8 March before moving toward Mozambique. The initial impact left one person dead, one injured, and 4,100 people affected, including 3,617 displaced across nine temporary sites, primarily in Maroantsetra District in the north. See Flash Update #1.

In Malawi, nearly 20,650 people were affected, with three missing and 4,883 displaced when Tropical Cyclone Jude hit the country between 10 and 12 March, according to the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA). The tropical storm impacted nine councils in the south, including Nsanje, Neno, Blantyre District, Mwanza, Phalombe, Zomba City, Mangochi District, Thyolo, and Mulanje. Phalombe District recorded the highest number of affected people (9,968), followed by Nsanje (2,637). Districts in the Southern Region experienced heavy rainfall in 24 hours, with Chiladzulu recording the highest amount at 98.3 mm between 12 and 13 March.

In Mozambique, Tropical Storm Jude made landfall on 10 March in Nampula Province, in the north. On 11 March, the Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (INAM) issued an alert for further torrential rains of up to 200 mm in Nampula, Niassa and Zambezia, while the Hydrological Department in Nampula warned of potential flooding in major rivers. As of 15 March, the National Disaster Response Agency (INGD) reported that 302,000 people had been affected, with 16 deaths recorded. The storm caused extensive damage, destroying, or partially damaging more than 70,000 houses, along with 72 health units, 247 schools, 18 bridges and 48 water systems. Additionally, 73 km of electricity lines were damaged. On 15 March, the World Food Programme’s Advanced Disaster Analysis and Monitoring (ADAM) estimated that 49,593 hectares of cropland were flooded in Monapo District, Nampula, the most severely affected area. The impacted provinces include Cabo Delgado, Nampula, Niassa, Tete, Inhambane, Zambezia, and Sofala. The aftermath of the storm also poses a serious risk of worsening the cholera outbreak. On 8 March, the Ministry of Health declared a cholera outbreak in Larde, making it the fourth affected district in Nampula.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Humanitarian partners are supporting government-led response efforts in the three affected countries. In Madagascar, the Government evacuated people to temporary sites. Together with partners, they also provided food, water, protection and health services where logistically feasible. The response planned for Tropical Cyclone Honde is also expected to address the additional needs caused by Jude. Some actors, such as the Start Network of humanitarian agencies, are mobilizing over US$500,000 for multipurpose cash assistance, cash for shelter and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) kits to support 3,300 families. In addition to food distributions by the National Office for Risk and Disaster Management (BNGRC), a partner has provided 107 metric tons of mixed commodities, while UNHAS is repairing runways in Ampanihy and Ambovombe districts in coordination with local authorities. OCHA has activated the Satellite Imagery Charter for flood analysis and pre-deployed staff to the Grand Sud to assess the situation and support local coordination.

In Malawi, the Government intensified sensitization and awareness efforts through national and community radios, SMS alerts via mobile network operators and mobile vans. Through DoDMA, the Government mobilized humanitarian partners to provide relief assistance to those affected and provided maize to the displaced. The Malawi Red Cross Society provided cash assistance, as part of Anticipatory Action activities, to 1,029 families in Phalombe and Blantyre, with each household receiving MK70,000 (more than $40). Food partners distributed multi-sectoral kits and super cereal plus to 171 displaced families in Mulanje District as soon as the cyclone entered Malawi. Distributions were ongoing across all affected districts, utilizing pre-positioned supplies under the "Prepare" project. Eight camps were established to provide shelter for displaced people. Meanwhile, the national search and rescue team conducted operations following reports of flooding around the Thuchila River in Phalombe, as well as the search for the three missing people in Nsanje District.

In Mozambique, humanitarian response capacities were overstretched due to simultaneous responses to Cyclones Chido (December 2024) and Dikeledi (January 2025), along with ongoing cholera outbreaks, food insecurity, conflict, and political tensions. To bolster response, OCHA deployed senior staff from Pemba to Nampula to support coordination, information management and assessments. The team also helped to activate emergency coordination centres at provincial and district levels to facilitate needs analysis and prioritize assistance for the most vulnerable. Emergency operations centres were activated in Cabo Delgado, Nampula, and Zambezia, focusing on pre-emptive evacuations, stockpile pre-positioning, response organization and relief distribution. The Anticipatory Action Framework for cyclones was also activated, enabling an early humanitarian response. Funds from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) were disbursed three days ahead of landfall, allowing selected UN agencies to begin anticipatory action activities. Meanwhile, clusters and their partners were assessing available in-country resources to support the government-led response. However, preliminary findings indicate that stock levels are low, and many affected populations may not receive emergency assistance.