Mozambique: Tropical Cyclone Chido Flash Appeal - January - June 2025

Executive Summary

Communities in Mozambique are suffering from the devastating effects of Tropical Cyclone Chido, which has left a trail of destruction in its wake. On 15 December, Cyclone Chido made landfall in Mozambique, bringing torrential rainfall exceeding 250 mm in 24 hours and strong winds up to 120 km/h. By 16 December, the cyclone had moved into Malawi and Tete Province, dissipating in Zimbabwe on 17 December.

The scale of the damage and the needs of the affected population are widespread and severe. According to the National Institute for Natural Disasters (INGD), as of 24 December 2024, an estimated 453,971 people have been impacted, with 120 fatalities and 868 injuries reported. Over 70,000 houses have been completely or partially destroyed, along with 250 schools, 52 health centres, and 338 electricity poles. These figures are expected to rise as assessments continue.

The number of affected individuals has surpassed the 350,000-threshold needed to trigger a Flash Appeal. Widespread devastation and connectivity challenges continue to hamper situational awareness and response efforts.

In Cabo Delgado Province, the districts of Mecufi, Metuge and Chiure, along with the provincial capital, Pemba, have been heavily affected, followed by Namuno, Montepuez, and Balama. The number of people impacted in Cabo Delgado is estimated at 272,000.

A joint multi-agency assessment mission (MIRA) led by INGD with OCHA support in collaboration with humanitarian partners on December 18, witnessed widespread devastation in the affected areas. The mission's findings were overwhelming, with entire communities left in ruins. In Mecufi, nearly 100 per cent of homes were destroyed, with only a few structures still standing. Similarly, Nangolo has experienced near-total destruction.

For communities in Cabo Delgado, where over 90 per cent of the population lives in makeshift shelters— often relying on palm leaves as protection—Cyclone Chido’s immense power stripped everything away in an instant. Across the affected regions, the cyclone left homes in ruins, health centres inoperable, and critical medical supplies destroyed. Many families lost everything.

In Nampula Province, the districts of Erati, Memba, Meucuburi, and Mossuril have also been severely affected. The number of people impacted is estimated at 175,169, with more than 35,000 homes partially or completely destroyed, according to INGD. Seven deaths and 24 injuries have been reported. Memba and Erati are the hardest-hit districts, followed by Nacala.

Adding to the crisis is a cholera outbreak in Nampula, with at least 302 cases and 29 fatalities reported so far. The rains and massive destruction of basic services by the cyclone may further exacerbate the public health emergency.

Damaged roads are complicating the evacuation of patients and the delivery of essential supplies. Adding to the complexity, communication with administrative posts in Mazua, Chipene, Lurio and other rural areas is limited due to poor mobile network coverage. Agricultural inputs are urgently needed, as affected populations could still participate in the main agricultural campaign if assistance arrives by January 2025. Repairing roads and reestablishing communication networks are critical priorities. Local authorities and INGD are mobilizing support with cooperation partners and civil society.

The government’s preparedness and response efforts have played a crucial role in mitigating the loss of life and addressing the immediate needs of affected populations. Preemptive evacuations and early warning messages issued by INGD helped alert communities to the impending danger.

Authorities, NGOs and UN humanitarian teams are working closely to access impacted areas, assess needs, and deliver urgent assistance. As the scale of the disaster has become evident, with limited resources humanitarian partners have continued scaling up their response in coordination with the government, focusing on providing critical relief to those most in need.

However, the humanitarian needs generated by Chido are currently outstripping the capacity of humanitarian organizations to respond. We must respond urgently to bring assistance to those who need it and prevent the spread of water-borne diseases like cholera, and typhoid fever which can take away more lives very quickly, but the humanitarian supplies are woefully low.

Even more troubling is that this disaster is unfolding within an already existing crisis. Cyclone Chido struck areas in Cabo Delgado where people were already seeking refuge from violence by non-State armed groups. Displaced persons (IDPs) who fled conflict now find themselves in the path of another calamity.

More resources are urgently needed to address the severe immediate needs. People require safe, temporary shelterand repair kits to rebuild their homes and lives. Many stillneed food, potable water, medicines, and sanitation andhygiene facilities to prevent water-borne diseases to supportcommunities weakened by three consecutive natural disasters.Health facilities must be urgently repaired to provide essentialservices, including emergency care, reproductive healthservices, immunizations, and nutrition. Schools also needrepairs to ensure the continuity of education and preventthousands of children from dropping out, especially as theireducation was already jeopardized by conflict. People whohave lost their livelihoods will need immediate assistance toresume their lives. Those reliant on agriculture will require helpto replant, while families dependent on livestock or fishing willneed support to replace lost animals and fishing equipment.

There are widespread protection concerns in the aftermath of the cyclone as families have been separated. The risk ofgender-based violence (GBV) is rife, and many of the displacedor evacuated people have lost civil documentation. Peopleimpacted by the cyclone require mental and psychosocialsupport to cope with the uncertainty about their situationfollowing the loss of property and livelihoods in the medium tolong term since high levels of trauma and distress have beenreported. In such a context, harmful coping mechanisms suchas transactional sex, child labour, and human trafficking arealso a risk.

In a new and deeply concerning trend, reports of potential cases gender-based violence (GBV) by non-humanitarian actors (e.g., community members hosting affected individuals)have raised alarms among teams assessing needs in affecteddistricts. There is a mixed context where some affectedindividuals are in accommodation centers while others stayin improvised sites, such as neighbours' backyards. Addressingthese risks requires prioritizing GBV prevention and responsewithin sectoral programming, alongside advocacy and closecollaboration with Mozambican authorities. A comprehensiveapproach is essential to mitigate community-level risks and ensure a survivor-centered response to reports of gender based violence.

Additional funding is urgently needed to sustain the humanitarian response. The cyclone struck at a particularlycritical moment, at the end of the year with limited funding.The humanitarian operation had mobilized US$5.8 million fornatural disaster preparedness and response under the 2024Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP).

Furthermore, Mozambique is simultaneously grappling with the compounded challenges of a drought in central and southern that has affected 1.4 million people; conflict which is affecting 1.3 million people; and a cholera outbreak that has so far affected approximately 302 people and caused 29 deaths. The humanitarian operation has mobilized 31 per cent of the drought appeal financial requirements and 39 per cent of the 2024 HNRP.

We must urgently replenish stocks for all humanitarian pipelines to sustain the ongoing response, contain the spread of cholera and save the agricultural season. We have a small window of opportunity we cannot afford tomiss.