Disasters cost Malawi K2.1tn—Dodma
The Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) says Malawi has lost $1.19 billion (about K2.1 trillion) to disasters between 2015 and 2023.
Dodma deputy director (recovery) Fedson Chikuse said this in a presentation he made in Lilongwe yesterday during the launch of a Disaster Anticipatory Project.
He said the recovery cost is estimated at $1.70 billion (about K2.9 trillion), mostly to support the affected families with relief items and renovation of destroyed infrastructure.
In his opening remarks, Dodma director of disaster response and recovery the Reverend Moses Chimphepo said the new project will help government to save money in future.
“The programme’s design is to help the country anticipate impending disasters so that we can respond before the disaster comes and this will help us reduce casualties who may need relief,” he said.
Chimphepo said the country already has mechanisms that help communities with early warning signs for disasters, but the new project will go further to offer guidance on how to respond to impending disasters.
World Food Program (WFP) is implementing the project together with Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) with funding from the European Union (EU) and Danish Red Cross.
WFP country manager Paul Turnbull said despite being one of the countries that does not have high carbon emissions, Malawi remains vulnerable to climate shocks.
He referred to recent cyclones, notably Freddy, Gombe, Ana, Idai and the current dry spell perpetuated by the El Nino.
Said Turnbull: “In fact, this will be one year where we will need to support more with humanitarian response to hunger which will be exacerbated by the dry spell. These are the issues this project wants to contain.”
Recently, President Lazarus Chakwera on March 23 2024 declared a State of National Disaster on 23 of the country’s 28 hard hit by dry spells caused by the El Nino weather pattern that has negatively affected food production in the areas.
Danish Red Cross representative in Malawi, Eva Jordong Nicolson, tipped the government to ensure that it provides enough funding towards issues of preparedness and apply solutions quickly when a disaster has been detected.
The project is being piloted in Blantyre and Phalombe, some of the districts which were heavily affected by Cyclone Freddy in March 2023 and specifically to institute ways of knowing in advance the oncoming disasters and respond before they strike.
