John Cassim
Harare, Zimbabwe
The death toll in Malawi owing to the effects of Tropical Cyclone Freddy has risen to 190, the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) in the Office of the President and Cabinet has revealed.
“A total of 13, 099 households (approximately 58,946 people) have been affected, out of which 4,305 (approximately 19, 371 people) have been displaced, with 57 camps set to accommodate the displaced.
The death toll has risen from 99 (as reported in our previous update dated 13th March, 2023) to 190 with 584 injured and 37 reported missing,” DoDMA said in a statement
DoDMA has received rapid assessment reports on flooding, mudslides and strong winds damages from 12 affected councils namely; Blantyre City, Blantyre District, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Machinga, Mulanje, Neno, Nsanje, Phalombe, Thyolo, Zomba City and Zomba District.
Meanwhile, the department, humanitarian partners and councils continue to facilitate the provision of relief assistance to affected and displaced households, with search and rescue operations led by the Malawi Defence Force, the Malawi Police Service, the Department of Marine, the Malawi Red Cross Society and communities; underway.
As at 14:00 hours pm Tuesday afternoon Cyclone Freddy had weakened and continues to track in a general north-westerly direction, with a localized centre/eye near the border between Mozambique and Nsanje district the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (DCCMS) reported.