BLANTYRE: The death toll from Tropical Cyclone Freddy in Malawi reached 326, said the country’s president in a televised statement on Thursday evening.
The death toll has risen from 225 to 326, and the number of people injured and those still missing have risen to 201 and 796, respectively, said Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera.
“The number of people displaced has more than doubled to 183,159, as has the number of households displaced, which now stands at 40,702,“ he said.
The country has established 317 camps across the stormed region to mitigate the situation, according to Chakwera.
The Malawi leader has re-emphasised the need for more humanitarian support from local and international organisations and individuals, describing the devastation and desperation as “unbelievable and overwhelming”, said Xinhua.
Meanwhile, local business people have pledged to mobilise up to US$1.5 million to support residents affected by the cyclone.
In the meantime, Malawi is also facing a potential outbreak of waterborne diseases following Cyclone Freddy, which was “the worst natural disaster in decades”, Chakwera said on Thursday.
Health experts have raised concerns that the Cyclone Freddy-induced floods, strong winds and mudslides, could cause waterborne diseases such as cholera.
Charles Mwansambo, the Secretary for Health, has acknowledged those risks, but he said the government was working closely with health agencies to minimise the threat.
“The ministry and other health agencies are working hand in hand to tighten the efforts and make sure that the response is immediate,“ Mwansambo said in an interview with Xinhua on Thursday.
Malawi Red Cross Society director of programmes and development, Prisca Chisala, said that many of the victims residing in evacuation camps were at high risk of contracting cholera due to lack of sanitation facilities.
“It has become increasingly challenging to regulate the provision of clean water and food, posing a potential threat to the lives of many,“ she added. - Bernama
