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Tropical cyclones (TC) and Storms: From early December 2024 to March 2025, five main tropical cyclones/Storms impacted in the Southwestern Indian Ocean (SWIO) region: TC Chido, Dekeledi, Honde, Garace, and Jude, which affected 2.6 million people in Comoros, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Mayotte and La Reunion. Refer to Table 1 for the number of people affected by tropical cyclones and storms in each country or island, and Chart 1 for total impact.
TC Chido was the first cyclone to have a significant and destructive impact in the sub-region. It intensified into an intense tropical cyclone on 11 December 2024, achieving category 4-equivalent status with sustained winds of 220 km/h, gusts of up to 250 km/h, and an extreme central pressure of 929 hPa. As of 30 December 2024, TC Chido resulted in at least 172 confirmed deaths – 120 in Mozambique, 40 in Mayotte, and 13 in Malawi – and over 6,300 reported injuries1 . TC Chido brought major devastation to the Island of Mayotte, particularly due to the many informal settlements that were impacted.
Subsequently, TC Dikeledi made landfall in northern Madagascar on 11 January 2025, affecting more than 7,000 people. The storm brought heavy rainfall to the northern regions of the country, resulting in damage to 1,000 houses2.
Following its passage through Madagascar, Dikeledi struck Mozambique on 13 January 2025, affecting areas that had already been impacted by Cyclone Chido in December 2024. The cyclone primarily hit the coastal province of Nampula. As of 20 January 2025, preliminary data indicate that 31,898 houses have sustained partial damage, while 24,101 houses have been destroyed, resulting in 55,999 damaged shelters across the province3.
In late February 2025, two additional tropical storms, Moderate Tropical Storm Honde and Severe Tropical Storm Garance, developed in the Indian Ocean, increasing in strength to tropical cyclones. Intense rain and wind from Tropical Cyclone Honde struck southern Madagascar on 28 February 2025, causing widespread flooding. TC Honde followed a trajectory similar to Dikeledi, leading to a higher level of impact on the ground due to the previous rains and wind. On the same day, TC Garance made landfall in La Réunion, knocking out electricity and water for most of the island’s residents. In La Reunion, red and purple alerts were activated in preparation for the landing. The TC left almost 47% of households with no power, and 46% with no access to drinking water.
Furthermore, a system emerged in the morning on 8 March 2024 over the Mozambique Channel, southwest of Nosy Be, after quickly crossing Madagascar. It evolved into a moderate tropical storm and was subsequently named Jude.
In Madagascar, TC Jude led to 10,715 people affected in two main districts, Fort Dauphin and Amboassary. While TC Jude had lower levels of rain than previous systems, it still brought very intense wind. BNGRC deployed specific accommodation centers to support those that needed a place to take shelter. TC Jude made landfall in the Mossuril district of Nampula province, Mozambique, in the early hours of Monday, 10 March 2025. With sustained winds reaching 120 km/h and gusts peaking at 195 km/h, the tropical cyclone unleashed torrential rainfall exceeding 250 mm in a single day, accompanied by powerful winds that caused widespread devastation and flooding across the provinces of Nampula, Zambezia, Cabo Delgado, Niassa and Tete. According to the Multi-sectoral Needs Assessment (MIRA), finalized on March 17, more than 88,000 houses were completely and partially destroyed. Being hit by a third cyclone in less than two weeks, TC Jude further worsened the needs and vulnerabilities in the north of the country.
TC Jude entered Malawi on 10 March 2025, affecting 11 districts mainly in the Southern and Central regions of the country, with Phalombe district being the most impacted. According to DoDMA's report on 13 March, TC Jude affected 20,646 people, with 4,883 displaced in Malawi.
Floods: The flooding situation in Southeast Africa, particularly in Madagascar, Malawi and Mozambique, was severe due to heavy rainfall and the impacts of tropical cyclones in February and March 2025.
• More than 2,800 people from 780 households displaced due to the floods in Antananarivo in Madagascar in February 20254.
• More than 40,100 households (approximately 180,800 people) have been affected by flooding and intense rains across Malawi. Floods have particularly affected Southern and Central districts, with more than 1100 households displaced in Mangochi District in late January, and 440 households displaced in Chikwawa District in late February. A total of 39 people lost their lives and 469 have been injured. Further rains are expected to continue through March and into April.
• Likewise, heavy rains were recorded in various locations in northern, central, and southern Mozambique since the end of the third week of February 2025. As a result, river levels continued to rise, leading to flooding in several areas of Namacurra and Maganja da Costa. The Mozambique Red Cross Society activated Early Action Protocol (EAP) for Floods on 21 February 2025, based on forecasts of severe flooding in the Licungo and Limpopo river basins.