The Malawi Red Cross Society distributes anticipatory cash ahead of Tropical Cyclone Jude

With Tropical Cyclone Jude forecast to bring severe weather to Malawi, the trigger threshold for anticipatory actions ahead of flooding due to heavy rainfall was reached for the first time. This enabled the Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) to unlock pre-agreed funds from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. With support from the Danish Red Cross, the funds allowed the MRCS to help communities prepare for the worst impacts before the cyclone hit the country.

Triggering the activation

The trigger was developed by the MRCS in collaboration with the government, including national hydrometeorological agencies, and humanitarian partners. The current trigger is based on precipitation levels in specific catchment areas and, on 9 March 2025, the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services confirmed that districts in southern Malawi were forecast to receive 150mm of rainfall within 24 hours, due to Tropical Cyclone Jude.

Supporting those at risk through cash

The MRCS immediately deployed its teams to deliver the planned anticipatory actions before the impacts of the cyclone-induced rains were felt.

• 1,028 vulnerable households in Blantyre and Phalombe received anticipatory cash transfers of 70,000 Malawian Kwacha each (approximately 40 US dollars), enabling them to evacuate, protect their homes, and meet their other urgent needs.
• More than 115,000 people were reached with early warnings, thanks to the MRCS’s extensive volunteer network.
• National Response Teams were deployed at the national and district levels, supporting actions such as mapping the available evacuation centres, deploying search and rescue teams, ensuring the early warnings reached the more remote areas, and coordination with other stakeholders in the emergency operations centre.

The activation marks a milestone in disaster preparedness in Malawi, being the first time anticipatory cash was delivered within the lead time of a sudden-onset disaster. It also represents a significant step in the collaboration around anticipatory action between the MRCS and the Department of Disaster Management Affairs.

Learning the lessons from Tropical Cyclone Freddy

Exactly two years ago, Tropical Cyclone Freddy devastated many parts of Malawi. The aftermath of this disaster revealed gaps in the effectiveness of anticipatory actions, despite strong humanitarian efforts. This time, the pre-positioned funding enabled a more efficient and effective response to forecasts. The partners involved will now assess the communities’ ongoing needs and scale up response and relief efforts where needed.

The pre-arranged funding is part of an ongoing anticipatory action imitative implemented by the MRCS, alongside the Danish Red Cross, the World Food Programme and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. This initiative demonstrates how humanitarian actors can collaborate to support communities and governments in strengthening disaster preparedness and enabling life-saving anticipatory action before crises unfold.