Cyclone Freddy wreaked havoc in Malawi, claiming the lives of over 200 people and leaving thousands homeless. The cyclone hit the southern part of the country, causing widespread flooding and destruction of property.
In the wake of the disaster, several churches in Malawi have stepped up to provide aid and support to survivors. The churches have been providing food, water, and shelter to those in need, as well as offering counselling and support to survivors traumatised by the disaster. According to a statement byTearfund’s Country Director for Malawi, Vincent Moyo, “The church has already started responding by providing shelter and food to those whose houses have been destroyed”, “The church is also providing psychosocial support to the bereaved as they bury the dead”, he said.
On social media, videos of the state of the disaster are seen flying around as the people sympathise with the affected ones.
This is happening in Malawi #floods #ClimateEmergency #climatecrisis pic.twitter.com/7FCS5Dneh1
— MulindwaMoses (@mulindwa_guy) March 14, 2023
More than 70 confirmed dead. Lord have mercy on your people . Cyclone Freddy has caused serious damage. Let's join hands as a country to assist those affected. Sleepless night, pic.twitter.com/O0D3ZUj1xD
— Rev Fr Petros Mwale (@fr_petros) March 13, 2023
The Malawi government and international aid agencies have been working round the clock to provide assistance to those affected by the disaster. However, the scale of the disaster has overwhelmed local authorities and aid agencies, leaving many survivors without basic necessities such as food, water, and shelter.
A lot of facilities in the country have been affected by the storm. Vincent Moyo added that ““In Chikwawa, Tearfund’s partner Eagles are already working with internally displaced people. Those affected have lost their food supplies. Houses have collapsed and kitchen utensils and cooking pots have been washed away in the flood water.”
Ina report by Premier, Edgar Jone, Tearfund’s Country Director for Mozambique, which is also affected said: “Although cyclones are to be expected at this time of year, our experience is that they are becoming much more intense and dangerous as a result of climate change. Being prepared with plans for evacuation and emergency relief is essential to save lives.”
The Malawi government acknowledged the efforts of the churches and other organisations in providing aid to survivors, saying that they have been instrumental in helping to alleviate the suffering of those affected by the disaster.
As Malawi continues to recover from the devastating effects of Cyclone Freddy, the efforts of churches and other organisations are providing a ray of hope to survivors, who are slowly rebuilding their lives in the wake of the disaster.
