Cyclone Freddy: Malawi Government sounds an SOS

The government is appealing for further assistance from the global community to reach out to survivors of the impact of cyclone Freddy.
The Cyclone has caused massive damage to various structures following continuous and heavy stormy rains that started last Friday.
The disaster has caused landslides, extensive damage to houses and roads as well as flooding of rivers.
In Blantyre, the most affected areas are Ndirande, Chilobwe, Machinjiri, Zingwangwa and Mbayani.
As of Tuesday, over 190 deaths were recorded in the country.
The Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) has disclosed that out of the 190 deaths recorded so far, 158 have occurred in Blantyre.
Furthermore, over 584 people have been injured while 37 others remain unaccounted for.
Forecasters are describing the storm as one of the most powerful and long-lasting on record.
Rescue workers are warning that the number of fatalities is likely to rise, as they reach neighbourhoods destroyed by landslides and flooding.
“The impact is huge the government alone cannot manage, we appreciate organisations like the Malawi Red Cross society who have been on the ground assisting those affected,’’ Information Minister Moses Kunkuyu has stressed.
Thousands of people are currently housed in various evacuation camps in areas affected as the rescue and search mission is still in progress
“We have set up 57 camps where the displaced people are being sheltered and so far 4,305 people have been displaced and 57 evacuation camps have been established across the southern region,’’ said Kunkuyu
He further stresses that efforts to reach out to some areas have been hampered by transportation challenges owing to swelling of rivers and cut or damaged roads
“It is difficult to use air and road transport as the weather is still bad and the sky is not yet clear,” he observed.
So far the citizenry have come in to provide the needed assistance, as well as banks, organizations and the faith community among others.