Cyclone Freddy kills 326 people in Malawi. President seeks global aid as search for survivors continue.
Tropical Cyclone Freddy killed 326 people after it ripped through Malawi. The country’s president Lazarus Chakwera said on Thursday that the death toll has now risen from 225 to 326, amounting to 400 deaths in South Africa since its inception.
Rescuers were busy unearthing bodies as chances of finding survivors faded after the cyclone’s heavy impact on the landlocked region of the country.
Chakwera added that the number of people displaced has since doubled to 183,159; at the same time, the number of households displaced has also increased and now stands at 40,702. The cyclone destroyed properties, homes, crops, and infrastructures including bridges that were crucial for connectivity.
MALAWIANS SEARCH FOR DEAD BODIES
The president reinforced his appeal for global aid as the country struggled with the massive devastation and deaths of many caused by the cyclone.
Two weeks of national mourning and a state of emergency have been ordained in the country.
Along with the ongoing rescuing operation, 300 emergency centres have been set up to accommodate survivors, while the army and police have been deployed to deal with the crisis.
The rescue team has been in operation seeking survivors in the mudslides and flooding caused by the torrential rains. People could be seen using shovels and bare hands to search for any bodies in the rubble.
CHILOBWE WASHED DOWN BY CYCLONE FREDDY
According to a CNN report, Chilobwe, a small township near the city of Blantyre, has been one of the hardest-hit areas. The town located below a hill was washed down by gushing water from above, as people noted on Sunday night. Rescue officials said that over 30 people have died and many remain missing as the search continues.
Dorothy Wachepa, 39, was sleeping when she heard a roaring noise from the mountains. She described the noise as if a plane had crashed. People ran for their survival as muddy waters filled with rocks and trees flooded the town. The entire town was swayed away by the flood and everything was gone, recalled Wachepa.
Wachepa was running a small-scale vegetable business since her husband passing in 2014. She used to support her children with the little amount she earned. She said she and her children were lucky to survive the disaster. As many as nine people and a few of her neighbours died in the storm-induced rains, she told CNN.
Like Wachepa, dozens of people have lost their households and loving ones and are now seeking shelter at a local church.
PRESIDENT NYUSI’S APPEAL
The cyclone first struck Mozambique and Madagascar in the southern parts of Africa in late February, but the damages were minimal in the landlocked region of Malawi. The storm then moved back to the Indian ocean, where it gained strength from the warm waters before making a rare comeback, hitting hard in the mainland of Malawi.
The rains have eased since Wednesday, but the effect of Freddy remains unperturbed as Malawians look outside for help.
In Mozambique, the storm had taken at least 73 lives, and displacing tens of thousands of people over the past few weeks, and killed a further 17 people in Madagascar. Mozambican President, Filipe Nyusi has placed a similar appeal asking for global assistance to rebuild infrastructures after visiting the catastrophized province of Zambezia, bordering Malawi.
