Government of Malawi’s Tropical Cyclone Freddy Emergency Response Plan
14 April 2023
The Government of Malawi has published its “Tropical Cyclone Freddy Emergency Response Plan”, noting a significant financial shortfall in funds available to implement it.
The report which came out yesterday from the Office of the President and Cabinet, Department of Disaster Management Affairs indicates that over 2.2 million people have been affected by the Cyclone, with nearly 660,000 people displaced. It says the cyclone has caused 679 deaths, over 2,000 injuries and that more than 500 people remain missing. The document states that significant disruption has also been caused to shelter, agriculture, food security, transport, education, health, and the water, sanitation and hygiene sectors.
The three-month Response Plan is targeting 363,856 households (1,637,352 people) and aims to address immediate survival needs while restoring basic socio-economic services and facilitating the transition to early recovery of those affected.
The document states that “A total of MWK 147.8 billion is required to implement the plan, MWK37.3 billion is available leaving a gap of MWK 110.6 billion” (over GBP 85m).
Executive Summary:
“Tropical Cyclone Freddy influenced torrential rains over the southern part of Malawi from 11th through 15th March, 2023 which led to multiple disasters in Blantyre, Chiradzulu and Mulanje districts. On 13th March, 2023, Blantyre, Phalombe, Chiradzulu and Mulanje districts experienced multiple mudslides and mass debris flows from mountains and hills which swept away villages, causing damage to property, homes and crops, injuries and loss of lives to people and livestock. The severe floods that followed the torrential rains also displaced several people and further caused damage to private and public assets in Nsanje, Chikwawa, Ntcheu, Mwanza, Neno, Thyolo, Mangochi, Balaka and Machinga, Zomba districts and Zomba City, thereby increasing the number of affected councils to 15. Most of the districts that have been affected by Tropical Cyclone Freddy were also severely affected by the devastating floods in 2022 induced by Tropical Storm Ana and the Cyclone Idai induced floods in 2019. At least 2,267,458 (1,110,639 Male, 1,156,819 Female) people have been affected, of whom 659,278 (336,252 female; 323,026 male) people displaced. At least 56% of the affected are children and 7.2% are persons living with disabilities. The disaster has caused 679 deaths and 2,178 injuries, with 537 people missing. In Mulanje, 131,830 (67,233 male, 64,597 female) people were displaced, making it the highest displaced population, seconded by Phalombe with 117,801 (60,079 female; 57,722 male) IDPs. Tropical Cyclone Freddy has also affected productive, social, and infrastructure sectors. These include Shelter, Agriculture, Food Security, Transport, Education, Health, and WASH sectors experiencing significant disruptions. This three-month Response Plan is targeting 363,856 households (1,637,352 people). The plan aims at addressing the immediate survival needs while restoring basic socio-economic services and facilitating the affected people’s transition to early recovery. A total of MWK 147.8 billion is required to implement the plan, MWK37.3 billion is available leaving a gap of MWK 110.6 billion.”
