Attachments
Highlights
- At least 380,147 people across Cabo Delgado, Nampula, and Niassa provinces have been affected; nearly 200,000 are children.
- Most recent reports have recorded 76 deaths, 768 injuries and widespread destruction of personal and public infrastructure.
- At least 86,500 houses were damaged or destroyed. It is estimated that damage to infrastructure in Mecúfi and Chiure districts is near total, with very few structures still standing.
- 1,126 classrooms in 250 schools have been damaged or destroyed, impacting the upcoming return to school for at least 109,793 students.
- Priority needs include food, shelter, WASH, NFIs, medicines and supplies for health facilities, and rehabilitation of schools being used as accommodation sites.
- Mobile phone signals in Cabo Delgado are becoming more stable and some areas of Pemba have been reconnected with electricity.
- UNICEF has scaled up assistance in accommodation centres including through the Joint Response Programme.
Situation in Numbers
380,147 people in affected districts (Source: INDG)
At least 197,600 children affected
76 deaths and 768 injured (Source: INDG)
At least 250 schools, 1,126 classrooms affected (Source: INDG)
At least 52 health facilities damaged or destroyed (Source: INDG)
Funding Overview and Partnerships
UNICEF’s initial assessment is that a minimum of US$10 million is required to respond to urgent needs and begin the recovery process in Cabo Delgado and Nampula provinces. This figure is likely to increase as the extent of the damage to infrastructure, public facilities, and communities becomes better understood. UNICEF has released flexible global humanitarian thematic funding available, has applied to the U.N’s Central Emergency Response Fund, and has received a payout of over US$3 million from UNICEF’s global parametric insurance providers under the Today and Tomorrow Initiative. The impact of Cyclone Chido is stretching humanitarian operations within the province and the resources available. Many of the locations requiring assistance are not included in UNICEF’s HAC 2025 appeal. Thus, UNICEF’s funding requirements for 2025 will be higher than anticipated, even before the start of the year.
Situation Overview and Humanitarian Needs
Cyclone Chido made landfall on 15 December in Mecúfi district, Cabo Delgado province with winds of up to 165 km/h and heavy rains exceeding 250 mm in 24 hours. The early-season cyclone has caused widespread devastation across northern Mozambique, affecting Cabo Delgado, Nampula, and Niassa provinces. The storm disrupted roads, energy, and communication networks. Relief efforts are underway, but the level of humanitarian supplies remains critically low.
As of 21 December, the National Institute for Disaster Management (INGD) had identified 380,147 people affected, an estimated 75 per cent of whom are women and children. The cyclone caused 76 deaths and 768 injuries. Additionally, at least 86,500 houses were partially damaged or destroyed. It is estimated that damage to infrastructure in Mecúfi and Chiure districts is near total, with very few structures still standing. Numbers are expected to rise as assessments continue.
UNICEF assessment teams, in collaboration with government and interagency colleagues, have visited Mecúfi, Chiure, and Metuge districts of Cabo Delgado and Erati and Memba districts of Nampula. Initial assessments in Chiure revealed high levels of distress among affected populations, with 60 per cent of homes having lost roofs and 40 per cent completely destroyed. The district’s population of 371,742, which includes 36,000 IDPs, faces heightened vulnerabilities, including increased risks of gender-based violence (GBV) due to overcrowded shelters lacking gender-segregated spaces.
The multi-sector initial rapid assessment (MIRA) conducted by OCHA on 16 December provided preliminary insights, and a more detailed MIRA began on 18 December in Nampula province, covering Memba, Erati, Mecuburi, and Mossuril districts. The Inter-Cluster Coordination Group (ICCG) is developing a Flash Appeal to further outline the needs and response plans. Despite ongoing power outages, UNICEF’s field office in Pemba has remained operational and serves as a hub for other agencies whose offices were more severely impacted by the storm.