Warden Messages

Tropical Cyclone Jokwe

March 6, 2008

The U.S. Embassy is sending this Warden Message to advise the American community to Tropical Cyclone Jokwe is Mozambique.  Tropical Cyclone Jokwe is expected to intensify over the Mozambique Channel and hit the coast of Northern Mozambique, in Nampula Province on March 8.  Low-lying coastal areas may be affected by surging waves.  There is a risk of structural damage to buildings.  We advise against all but essential travel to low-lying coastal areas north of Quelimane.  Americans in these areas should heed advice from local authorities.

Americans are advised to take appropriate precautions to protect themselves from the storm including staying away from the shoreline, moving inland if necessary, and being watchful of potential flood conditions.  Americans should follow all official instructions regarding storm preparations.  All U.S. citizens currently in the affected areas should secure their travel documents, (i.e. U.S. Passport, birth certificate, picture IDs, etc.) by placing them in a safe, waterproof location and carrying them at all times.  U.S. citizens are reminded to keep friends and family in the U.S. apprised of your whereabouts.  Americans are also advised to monitor weather reports regularly since the projected path of a cyclone can change rapidly.

For information on its current track see the following websites:

1. U.S. Navy – Joint Typhoon Warning Center (See the listing for Cyclone Jokwe):   https://metocph.nmci.navy.mil/jtwc.php
2. UN World Metrological Organization: http://severe.worldweather.wmo.int/tc/swi/index.html
3. Weather Underground (a non-governmental website): http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/?index_region=io

For information on disaster preparedness, see the U.S. Department of State’s webpage on Crisis Preparedness: http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/emergencies/emergencies_1187.html#preps

The U.S. Embassy will post updates on the storm on its website:  maputo.usembassy.gov.  The Embassy has also posted a Cyclone Preparedness Guide on its website. 

Americans living or traveling in Mozambique are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration web site so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security within Mozambique.  For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet web site at http://travel.state.gov, where current Worldwide Caution, Travel Alerts, and Travel Warnings can be found.  Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S., or, for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.  These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). 

The U.S. Embassy is located in Maputo at 193 Avenida Kenneth Kaunda, telephone (258) 21 49 2797.  Non-emergency American Citizens Services are offered Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00 to 11:00 AM, excluding U.S. and Mozambican holidays.  Please schedule all visits for non-emergency American Citizens Services, including passports, extra passport pages, Consular Reports of Birth Abroad, notarial services and information requests, during these hours.

The after-hours telephone numbers for use in emergencies are (258) 21 49 0723 and 21 49 2797.  The Consular Section's e-mail address is consularmaputo@state.gov.  The Embassy's web site is http://maputo.usembassy.gov/.