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Mozambique, Africa | 2021-22 Floods and Cyclones - Revised Operational Strategy, 25 January 2021 – 31 January 2023, Appeal n° MDRMZ016

Countries
Mozambique
Sources
IFRC
Publication date
Origin
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This Operational Strategy (OS) describes actions for 2021/22 under the revised Emergency Appeal for Floods and Cyclones (Initially Cyclone Eloise Operation). The original [Emergency Plan of Action] (https://ifrcorg.sharepoint.com/:b:/s/Mozambiquecycloneoperation/EcVugOZGpZJAoicDWGpUfDQBpm4N36tiaVtxnKKkv18r7g?e=BCA7o0) was launched on 28 January 2021 to reach 115,000 people in Sofala, Manica, and Zambezia Provinces, affected by Tropical Cyclone (TC) Eloise. Therefore, the revised Operational Strategy includes the recovery activities under TC Eloise and emergency response to Tropical Storm (TS) Ana who made landfall on 24 January 2022, affecting Nampula, Zambezia, Tete, Zambezia, Sofala, Manica, and Niassa Provinces. The revised OS details additional support to cover the needs of 111,500 people (22,300 households) in the most vulnerable households affected by Tropical Storm Ana with emergency response and recovery assistance and support the ongoing preparedness activities for the current floods and cyclone season.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT

In 2021, TC Eloise (category 2) made landfall in the first hours of 23 January 2021, 20km south of the Beira City in Sofala Province, bringing winds of 140km/h and wind gusts of over 160km/h and extreme and widespread rainfall in Beira and many districts in Sofala, southern Manica, northern Inhambane and eastern Gaza. Other areas were already flooded ahead of Eloise’s landfall, especially surrounding places including Buzi and Nhamatanda resulting in thousands of displaced people. An estimated 441,690 people were affected by the storm.

In 2022, Tropical Storm Ana made landfall in Angoche, Nampula Province at 10 am on 24 January 2022 with wind speeds from 100-130 km/h. The storm brought precipitation of 200mm in 24 hours, leading to immediate flooding in the Licungo and Luazi Rivers. Twenty-four hours after landfall, tropical storm Ana turned into a tropical depression system and brought significant rainfall to the northern and central regions. Heavy rainfall also impacted Malawi, the runoff of which also reached the Rovùbué and Zambezi Rivers in Mozambique. An estimated 180,869 people have been affected throughout the country. As we are still in the early phase of the rain and cyclone season in Mozambique, it is likely that this will not be the last storm to impact the country. Therefore, preparedness efforts must continue alongside the response to assist to affected populations.