56 000 homes destroyed or damaged by Tropical Cyclone Dikeledi in Mozambique
Tropical Cyclone Dikeledi made landfall in Mozambique on January 13, 2025, bringing destructive winds and intense rainfall that have devastated Nampula Province. The cyclone has caused the deaths of at least 11 people, destroyed or damaged more than 55 000 homes, caused severe damage to critical infrastructure, and left over 230 000 people affected.
Affected individuals undergoing registration at an accommodation center in Mossuril. Image credit: IOM
Tropical Cyclone Dikeledi has claimed 11 lives and left over 234 000 people affected in Nampula Province, Mozambique after making landfall on January 13 with winds up to 160 km/h (98 mph). The storm destroyed and damaged tens of thousands of homes, severely impacting critical infrastructure, livelihoods, and community resilience.
Assessments on January 20 indicated that 31 898 homes have suffered partial damage, while 24 101 have been destroyed. It brings the total number of damaged homes to 55 999 across the province.
The most affected districts include Ilha de Mozambique (50 349 individuals), Mossuril (44 390), Monapo (44 287), Nacala Porto (25 394), Angoche (23 991), and Mogincual (16 500), which together account for 88% of the impacted population. Authorities expect these figures to change as data collection continues.
According to preliminary findings from the Initial Rapid Assessment (IRA), conducted by the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) in collaboration with Mozambique’s National Institute for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (INGD), approximately 56 729 households have been impacted. An estimated 37 456 individuals live with physical, cognitive, sensory, or psychosocial disabilities among them.
Humanitarian organizations, including INGD and its partners, have identified immediate priority needs like emergency shelter, non-food items (NFIs), water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions, and food and healthcare services. Key NFIs required include tarpaulins, mosquito nets, and mattresses.
Joint multi-sectoral assessments are ongoing to evaluate the evolving needs and conditions of the displaced population. Several accommodation centers have been established in Mossuril to provide temporary shelter. These include Bairro Muanona III School, which is housing 230 households (1 150 individuals), Chocas Mar School with 41 households (210 individuals), and Mesquita Tatiana Mosque with 143 households (143 individuals).
Preliminary data reports severe damage to public infrastructure including homes, schools, health facilities, and places of worship in the most affected districts.
The district of Ilha de Mozambique reported 6 987 homes destroyed, 5 029 partially damaged, 13 schools damaged, and 5 health facilities affected along with 2 fatalities and 8 injuries.
Mossuril recorded 5 792 homes destroyed, 5 184 partially damaged, one school affected, and 10 health facilities impacted with 12 injuries reported.
Monapo reported 3 752 homes destroyed, 9 738 partially damaged, and 17 health facilities affected.
Nacala Porto recorded 3 123 homes destroyed, 1 975 partially damaged, and 19 schools impacted.
Angoche reported 1 444 homes destroyed, 3 619 partially damaged, 22 schools affected and 12 health facilities damaged.
Larde recorded 504 homes destroyed, 1 451 partially damaged, and 2 schools affected.
The Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) is conducting assessments in coordination with the Mozambique government. Data is collected through key informant interviews (KIIs) and direct household observations. Enumerators are deployed to conduct in-depth household-level evaluations to capture the cyclone’s impact and provide demographic breakdowns.
The affected population includes 136 741 children (59%), 45 137 men (19%), and 52 226 women (22%). Disability prevalence is estimated at 16% of the affected population, in line with data from the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Report on Health Equity for Persons with Disabilities (2022).
References:
1 IOM Mozambique Tropical Storm Dikeledi Flash Update No.2 – IOM – January 21, 2025
Rishika holds a Master’s in International Studies from Stella Maris College, Chennai, India, where she earned a gold medal, and an MCA from the University of Mysore, Karnataka, India. Previously, she served as a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India. During her tenure, she contributed as a Junior Writer for Europe Monitor on the Global Politics website and as an Assistant Editor for The World This Week. Her work has also been published in The Hindu newspaper, showing her expertise in global affairs. Rishika is also a recipient of the Women Empowerment Award at the district level in Haryana, India, in 2022.
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