If a tropical cyclone is approaching your community in Mozambique, follow the latest INAM weather alert and the evacuation or shelter instructions from INGD, your district administrator and recognised local disaster-management leaders. Leave early when officials direct an evacuation, while the route is still usable. Do not wait for the roof to fail or for seawater to enter your home. Strong winds, falling structures, storm surge and river flooding may threaten different places at different times.
If you are already in a safe evacuation centre or other designated shelter, remain there until authorities authorise departure. Keep away from windows and weak roofing during strong wind. Do not cross flooded roads, streams or bridges to retrieve belongings. For immediate rescue, use the locally verified police, fire or medical contact. Mozambique’s emergency-number listings differ across official travel sources — 112, 119 (police), 117 (medical) and 198 (fire) appear in different guidance — so confirm which service works locally in advance and know your nearest police post, medical facility and community emergency coordinator.
Quick answer: A cyclone may begin as a developing weather system over the southwest Indian Ocean. As it approaches Mozambique, INAM issues forecasts and public warnings, while INGD and local authorities coordinate protective actions. Wind, torrential rain, coastal inundation and river floods may follow, along with damaged homes, unsafe water and interrupted roads. Flooding can continue after the cyclone weakens or moves away. No single sequence or warning time applies to all districts.
Official starting points: INAM public warnings · INAM active alerts · INGD preparedness and local warning systems.
Eight actions to help you survive
- Check INAM’s latest forecast or public warning for your specific province and district; read the issue time and expected hazards.
- Listen to local INGD-linked committees, community leaders, radio and district authorities for recognised evacuation and shelter information.
- Leave early if you are in an evacuation zone, especially low-lying coast, river floodplain or an unsafe home.
- Bring medicine, drinking water, identification, infant needs, accessible supplies and a phone or battery radio if ready and safe to carry.
- During severe wind, stay inside a structurally suitable shelter away from glass and vulnerable roofing.
- Do not walk or drive across floodwater, even after the strongest wind has passed.
- After the event, avoid downed electricity, unstable buildings and contaminated food or water. Seek care for illness or significant wounds.
- Wait for official permission before returning home and check the latest alerts because further rain, flooding or another storm may remain possible.
Stage 1 — The weather system develops: a forecast is an early opportunity
Cyclones form when conditions over warm ocean water support a rotating system of organised thunderstorms. The storm may strengthen, weaken or change track as it develops. Coastal provinces can be threatened by both wind and the rise in seawater driven toward shore. Inland districts may face serious flooding even if hurricane-strength or cyclone-strength winds never reach them.
The Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (INAM) provides forecasts, severe-weather notices and public warnings. An INAM bulletin should be read for its date, area and stated hazards. A forecast track is a changing estimate, not a boundary beyond which all communities are safe.
The Instituto Nacional de Gestão e Redução do Risco de Desastres (INGD) coordinates disaster-risk planning and local warning arrangements. At community level, committees may work through radio, loudspeakers, sirens, neighbourhood representatives or other channels. In areas where phone networks are unreliable, these local warning networks can be essential.
The main question before the storm is not “What is the cyclone’s name?” but “Is this home or road exposed to storm surge, destructive wind, rapid river rise or a possible landslide, and where will we go if ordered to leave?”
Stage 2 — Weather warnings: understand what applies to your district
An INAM warning may mention a tropical storm or cyclone, strong winds, heavy rainfall and affected coastal or inland locations. It may describe an anticipated period of dangerous conditions. Always read the full wording, because a wind warning is not necessarily the same as a coastal inundation or river-flood notice.
Communities may also receive instructions from the district authority or local disaster-risk committee identifying an assembly point or recognised shelter. An evacuation direction tells a household what to do; a weather forecast helps explain why. These sources are complementary.
Use the INAM public-warning archive to read the current issued notice, and check the INAM alert page for the latest status. Archived warnings can remain online after expiry. Do not share an old cyclone bulletin as if it still applies.
If you are inland, pay attention to hydrological and flood messages too. A cyclone can bring heavy rainfall over river basins whose peak water levels occur later downstream. Some households may face serious flooding even after the storm’s central winds have weakened.
Stage 3 — Preparing to leave: the route may close before the storm arrives
The most important preparation is knowing where you can safely go and how long it will take household members to get there. A narrow road or low bridge may become impassable before the strongest rain or wind. Where officials direct evacuation, moving early is safer than waiting for confirmation from visible damage.
INGD’s public guidance associated with a previous cyclone has called for authorities to identify evacuation routes, prepare safe shelters and move exposed populations. It also advises residents to protect essential food and documents, locate suitable shelters, pay attention to official communication and remain inside safe places during the storm. See the INGD cyclone preparedness example. That older event is an illustration of procedures, not a current warning.
- Families with small children: bring feeding needs, clothes, vital medicines and the basic identity information required for registration, without delaying evacuation to collect large amounts of property.
- People with disabilities and older adults: arrange assistance before the access route deteriorates and ask local officials about accessible shelter conditions.
- Pregnant people and patients needing continuing care: contact a health professional or local health unit promptly if transport may be interrupted.
- People with livestock or pets: follow community arrangements and protect animals early when safe; do not place people in danger returning for animals after an evacuation.
- Visitors and workers: learn the district name, nearest known health facility, employer or accommodation contact and local evacuation instructions.
Do not travel into an evacuation zone to rescue furniture, tools or other belongings. An injured responder or a blocked road can endanger many more people.
Stage 4 — Rainbands arrive: the storm can become dangerous before landfall
As the cyclone approaches, rain and gusts may increase before the strongest part reaches a given district. Water may begin to collect in drainage channels and low streets. Roof sheets, signs, tree branches and loose objects can become airborne. Travel visibility may deteriorate, and communications or electricity may fail.
A household that is already in a suitable shelter should stay away from exposed windows and weak roofs. Do not step outside to secure a roof once winds become dangerous, climb a tree to retrieve equipment or stand under a structure that is visibly bending. Let trained crews handle hazardous repairs.
If the local authority has told residents to evacuate before the storm, do not wait for this stage. A family travelling through driving rain and falling debris is more vulnerable than one that reached a designated safe place earlier.
Rainbands may also produce thunderstorms and lightning. Avoid exposed water surfaces, flooded structures and outdoor activities. Children should remain with their designated caregivers rather than walking home through deteriorating weather.
Stage 5 — Storm surge: why coastal water is different from rainfall
Storm surge occurs when a cyclone pushes seawater toward land. Waves and high tide can add to the impact, allowing water to enter coastal roads, homes and estuaries. The result can be dangerous even when a house’s roof has survived the wind.
People near a beach, lagoon, estuary or low-lying coastal settlement should follow the applicable evacuation plan before the surge arrives. Do not stand on the shoreline to watch the sea change. A beach that looked safe earlier may quickly become dangerous; surge and waves can also damage roads or prevent return.
An inland shelter may not automatically be safe if it lies in a river floodplain. Likewise, moving to an upper room of a weak house is not equivalent to reaching an authorised evacuation shelter. Local authorities consider geography, access and building suitability.
If you feel an urgent need to leave but the roads are already flooded, do not attempt to drive through moving water. Contact local authorities and rescuers for the safest immediate alternative. Emergency decisions depend on the actual location, and generic instructions cannot establish that every route is passable.
Stage 6 — Severe winds: what to expect inside a shelter
Strong winds may roar, shake doors and lift roof material. Rain may enter through gaps and damage roofs, ceilings or walls. The noise can be frightening, especially for young children, but sound alone does not reliably tell you whether the storm’s most dangerous period has begun or ended.
Stay in a safer part of a structurally suitable building, away from glass and exterior openings, following shelter staff or local authority directions. Protect your head if debris starts falling, but do not move into an obviously unstable room. A crowded shelter should keep access routes clear for people needing medical assistance.
Some tropical cyclones have an eye or calm centre. A temporary reduction in wind can be followed by destructive wind from another direction. Do not leave the shelter merely because the wind drops or sunshine appears. Wait for official confirmation that the threat has ended.
Power interruptions may cause mobile phones to lose service. Use a battery radio or community communications when available. Save battery for essential messages and requests for help rather than repeatedly uploading videos.
Stage 7 — Inland flooding: the danger can persist after the cyclone leaves
Mozambique’s rivers can experience high water after intense upstream rainfall. A cyclone’s storm centre may have moved away while roads, farmland and settlements begin to flood. Large basins and smaller streams respond differently, so no single “two hours after landfall” estimate is safe.
Do not cross flooded roads or bridges. Water may hide a washed-out surface or carry strong currents. An apparently shallow crossing can become much deeper after a vehicle is partway through. Follow local police, river-monitoring and disaster-management directions.
Avoid entering buildings with submerged electrical systems. A roof or higher level of a structurally sound building may serve as an emergency refuge when already trapped, but early authorised evacuation is preferable; do not enter a closed attic without an exit.
Some floodwater may be contaminated by sewage, chemicals or debris. After intense rainfall, do not assume wells, household containers or food stores are still safe. Seek approved drinking-water sources and local health guidance.
Stage 8 — The first days after: rescue, health and safe shelter
After an intense cyclone, damaged homes and roads, loss of power, injuries, unsafe water and shortages of basic supplies may affect communities. Schools, health centres, markets and transport services may be interrupted. Shelters may need to coordinate water, sanitation, medical care and family registration.
Do not leave an official shelter without permission if roads remain dangerous. Keep children with known caregivers, tell staff about anyone needing urgent treatment and report missing family members through recognised channels. Share verified reports rather than rumours about aid distribution or other people’s private circumstances.
Medical concerns after flooding: significant wounds may need infection assessment; serious diarrhoea or dehydration needs prompt medical attention. Continue appropriate infant feeding and prescribed treatment, and use safe water. Boiling may reduce many germs but cannot remove fuel or all chemical contaminants.
After a cyclone, public-health authorities may issue advice about sanitation and outbreaks. Do not diagnose a specific outbreak from a rumour. Obtain the current notice for your district and use health-service advice.
Stage 9 — Returning home and rebuilding after the cyclone
Visible calm does not establish that a structure is sound. Roofing, cracked walls, unstable trees, damaged bridges and exposed power lines may remain dangerous. Wait for local clearance before returning; inspect from a safe position and seek competent help for structural or electrical repairs.
Avoid switching on appliances that were submerged in floodwater. Do not use generators or charcoal stoves inside enclosed rooms because they can cause fatal carbon-monoxide poisoning. Keep children away from damaged materials and unsafe wells.
People rebuilding livelihoods may need agricultural, fishing or small-business assistance. Lost boats and nets, flooded fields, damaged wells and closed roads affect income for weeks or months. Use government, community and recognised humanitarian assistance channels; avoid paying strangers for supposed guaranteed aid.
A long-term recovery plan should also ask whether evacuation routes, shelter accessibility, community warnings and the safety of housing locations need improvement before another rainy season.
Understanding Mozambique’s warning system: who does what?
INAM — Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia: provides weather and cyclone forecasts and public weather notices.
INGD — Instituto Nacional de Gestão e Redução do Risco de Desastres: leads national disaster risk reduction and coordinates preparedness and response work through government and local structures.
Community disaster-risk committees: may relay warnings, organise assistance, support evacuation and help identify suitable shelter arrangements.
District authorities, health services and emergency responders: provide the most locally actionable information about a particular road, village, clinic or evacuation centre.
In September 2026, INGD coordinated planning for the 2026–2027 rainy and cyclone season, including provincial inputs and national contingency arrangements. See INGD’s 2026–2027 planning update. This confirms the national emphasis on preparation, not any specific storm’s arrival date.
Emergency contacts: verify the number before relying on it
Mozambique has multiple emergency-number listings. UK government travel advice lists 112 for emergency services, while Australia’s travel advice lists 119 for police, 117 for medical emergencies and 198 for fire. Mozambique’s government tourism information also publishes police and fire contact details.
These listings do not guarantee that every number connects in every district or during a cyclone. Some advisory sources warn that communications and dispatch are unreliable. Save the numbers currently recommended by your local authorities, the nearest health facility and the community committee, and know an in-person route to assistance if telephones fail.
When asking for help, provide the province, district, locality, landmark, number of people, injuries, whether water is rising and a contact number if available. Clear details can help responders decide what equipment is needed.
A realistic example: a coastal household preparing to leave
A household in a low-lying coastal settlement hears a cyclone warning on local radio. They check the district’s recognised shelter plan, move an older family member early and take medicine, water and necessary documents. Neighbours help communicate the instruction to households without working phones.
Later, heavy wind and rain arrive. The family stays inside the authorised shelter and does not go outside during a temporary lull. The following day, flooded roads prevent immediate return. They wait for the official notice before revisiting the house. This scenario is fictional and should not be read as a forecast for a named Mozambican province.
Seven dangerous assumptions
- “A cyclone is dangerous only at the beach.” Inland rain and river flooding can be deadly.
- “The forecast track is fixed.” Tracks and intensity estimates change.
- “I can evacuate once the wind becomes violent.” The route may already be unusable.
- “A strong roof means surge cannot hurt my home.” Coastal water and flood currents are separate hazards.
- “The wind went quiet, so the danger ended.” A temporary lull may precede more severe weather.
- “Any floodwater can be crossed if it looks shallow.” Depth, current and hidden road damage are dangerous.
- “All emergency numbers work reliably nationwide.” Coverage and services may fail, especially during storms.
Preparation checklist for residents and visitors
- Save INAM warnings and INGD official information.
- Know your district, locality and recognised local evacuation shelter.
- Keep medicine, identification, lights, charged phones, safe drinking water and food requiring little preparation accessible.
- Make an early plan for disabled family members, children, older adults and anyone needing medical care.
- Use community radio and designated leaders when mobile networks fail.
- Avoid low coastal areas, unstable structures, flooded roads and river channels.
- Verify local emergency contacts and keep the nearest health facility and community coordinator details.
- Do not return from shelter without authorisation, and avoid unsafe water, wiring and building damage.
Frequently asked questions
Does every Mozambique cyclone cause storm surge?
No. Surge depends on the storm, the coast, water levels and local exposure. Heavy rain and wind can be dangerous even where surge is limited.
How much warning will I receive?
It varies. INAM provides evolving forecasts, but local impacts can change and communications may not reach everyone. Know the community’s alternative warning channels and act early on official directions.
Is the eye of the cyclone a safe time to go outdoors?
No. A temporary calm period can be followed by destructive winds. Stay sheltered until authorised to leave.
Should I cross a flooded bridge after the cyclone moves away?
No. It may be weakened or have strong currents beneath or across it. Follow police and engineering closures.
What if an emergency number does not connect?
Try the locally verified alternative and contact your nearest police post, health facility, community disaster committee or recognised local responder when it is safe to do so. Do not enter dangerous floodwater to seek help.
Official sources and connected reading
- INAM — Public Weather and Cyclone Warnings: affected areas and warning dates.
- INAM — Active and Previous Alerts: check current versus expired notices.
- INAM — Weather Forecast Services: district and city forecasts, warning products.
- INGD — Prevention and Community Early Warning: recognised community warning and preparedness systems.
- INGD — Cyclone Preparedness Example: evacuation, shelter and aftermath guidance; an earlier event, not a live warning.
- INGD — 2026–2027 Rainy and Cyclone Contingency Planning: national preparedness context.
- Mozambique Government — Useful Emergency Contacts: local contact details.
- UK Government — Mozambique Getting Help: emergency contact information and its limits.
- Australian Government — Mozambique Travel Advice: alternative emergency-number listings.
- eduKateSG — Typhoon in the Philippines: a related tropical-cyclone hazard using different national institutions.
- eduKateSG — Flash Flood in Pakistan: the dangers of sudden floodwater and blocked routes.
Reader note — reviewed 5 November 2026: This guide is not a live cyclone bulletin, verified shelter list or guaranteed emergency contact directory. Check the latest INAM, INGD and district instructions, and follow authorised responders when immediate decisions are needed.