Southern African Development Community (SADC) has released US$300,000 to Malawi for humanitarian assistance, following the devastating Tropical Cyclone Freddy which triggered heavy rains and flooding and led to loss of lives and extensive damage to infrastructure about a week ago.
Since the declaration of the state of disaster and the appeal for external support by the President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera on 15 March 2023, several SADC Member States have stepped up their humanitarian support to Malawi.
According to a statement posted on the official SADC Facebook page, SADC Council of Ministers, at its recent meeting held in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo on 18 - 19 March, 2023, approved the assistance and also urged SADC Member States and the international community to support Malawi.
Added the statement, "On 18th March, 2023, the SADC Executive Secretary travelled to Malawi to deliver condolences on behalf of SADC and to appreciate and assess the extent of the damage caused by Tropical Cyclone Freddy."
Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) Commissioner Charles Kalemba told the media on Monday that the death toll has risen from 438 to 476 with 918 people injured and 349 others missing.
The number of displaced people is currently at 490,098 with 533 camps set up in the 12 affected districts to accommodate them.
According to Kalemba, apart from the K1.6 billion that the treasury released last week, the country has also received food and non - food items as well as cash from Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, China, local and international organizations as well as the corporate world.
On Monday, the Mozambican Government also donated to the country 40,000 litres of jet fuel to help in refuelling the helicopters that are helping in relief interventions.
