Malawi government admits deficiency in specialized disaster response equipment
The authorities are admitting a present lack of specialised equipment including helicopters that could come in handy in times of natural and other disasters.
Last week’s Tropical Storm Freddy exposed the government’s deficient capacity in as far as handling disasters of such massive magnitude is concerned.
Current figures indicate that 511 people perished while 1,332 suffered various degrees of injuries in floods and mudslides induced by the storm.
Furthermore, some 533 remain unaccounted for while 562,415 have been displaced and are mostly sheltered in 576 camps across the southern region.
So far, Malawi is hugely relying on help from the neighboring countries of Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique including several aircraft and jet fuel that are critical in the delivery of relief items to the storm survivors.
Apart from the aircrafts, the authorities are also relying on rescue boats from a team of specialist from the UK which as of Thursday had managed to rescue 333 people that were stranded in various flooded places.
Social commentator, Wonderful Mkhutche, has described as unfortunate the government’s inability to put up an effective search and rescue operation using its own equipment.
Reacting to Mkhutche’s sentiments, Information Minister Moses Kunkuyu has told Capital FM that the government will act on the issue to prevent avoidable loss of life and property in times of natural calamities.
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