Chakwera appeals for more support
President Lazarus Chakwera yesterday appealed for more support after he visited thousands of people who have been affected by Tropical Cyclone Freddy in Mulanje, Phalombe and Zomba districts.
He said he was shocked at Thundu in Mulanje, a district which has also been heavily affected by the cyclone.
According to the district commissioner’s office, Mulanje has, as of Thursday this week, recorded 150 deaths, 147 injured and 219 missing. Over 20 000 households are seeking shelter in 125 evacuation camps in the district.
Chakwera made his first stop at Thundu Primary School in Traditional Authority (T/A) Njema before flying to Nkhulambe Primary School in T/A Nkhulambe in Phalombe. The school is home to 3 702 displaced people.
The President concluded his visit in Zomba where he cheered people of Chisi Island in T/A Mwambo.
Addressing the nation later at 8pm, Chakwera acknowledged continued support from well-wishers, but also appealed for more.
“Please let us all join hands to support our friends. Do not say you have already supported for none of us has done enough. We need to keep helping these people till the situation is better,” he said.
He thanked those who sent their donations through the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma), including the United Nations, World Food Programme and the governments of Botswana, United States of America and Egypt.
As of yesterday, the number of displaced people was 563 771 with 577 camps set up to accommodate them. The death toll remained at 511 while the number of injured persons had risen to 1 724 from 1 322 the previous day. Phalombe had registered 392 additional injuries. The number of missing persons was 533, according to a Dodma update.
Meanwhile, there are growing calls from political and traditional leaders in areas hit by Tropical Cyclone Freddy to relocate people to safer areas.
The calls were made when Vice-President Saulos Chilima on Thursday and yesterday visited and cheered survivors of the cyclone in Chikwawa District as well as Phalombe South and Phalombe East constituencies.
In Chikwawa, Paramount Chief Lundu asked government to quickly facilitate relocation of all villages which are in disaster-prone areas.
He said: “It’s not a secret now that some of these villages experience floods every year. If it is possible, please relocate our people to uplands..”
In an interview after cheering survivors at Mathiya and Molele primary school evacuation camps in Thyolo as well as Ngabu Sports Club and Jombo Primary School evacuation camps, Chilima noted that people need to build in better places to solve or minimise disaster problems.
