The United Nations (UN) and humanitarian partners in Malawi have made a flash appeal for $70.6 million (about K71 billion) to assist 1.1 million people affected by Tropical Cyclone Freddy.

The flash appeal requirements for the Freddy response come on top of the $45.3 million (about K45 billion) called for earlier this year by humanitarian partners for the cholera response, bringing the total revised flash appeal to $115.9 million.

In a press statement released on Saturday, UN resident coordinator Rebecca Adda-Dontoh said the revised Malawi Flash Appeal outlines the contribution of humanitarian partners to the Malawi government-led responses to floods and cholera in Malawi.

Addah-Dontoh: Funding is required
for floods and cholera response

“The flash appeal aims to provide an integrated response, including shelter, nutrition, health, water, sanitation and hygiene, and protection, for those hardest-hit by the crisis, while ensuring communities are at the centre of the response,” she said.

Cyclone Freddy landfall on March 12 2023 left a trail of devastation across 15 districts in southern Malawi. At least 676 people died and 659 278 displaced.

The country also continues to face its deadliest cholera outbreak in recent history with over 1 719 killed by the disease as of yesterday.

“The UN and its partners in Malawi urgently call on donors to fund the revised flash appeal and enable them to work swiftly in support of the Government-led response to assist communities affected by the passage of Cyclone Freddy and the cholera outbreak,” said Adda-Dontoh.

Malawi Environmental Health Association chairperson Save Kumwenda expressed the need for provision of funds to help in the maintenance of the broken pipes as most of the water boards are already strained.

Last month, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Sosten Gwengwe said the government has allocated K45 billion to the Roads Authority up from K9 billion to facilitate the maintenance of the roads damaged by Cyclone Freddy.

When Cyclone Freddy hit, Malawi was still recovering from the effects of Cyclone Ana that destroyed 115 388 hectares of crops and washed away 51 023 livestock, according to the Department of Disaster Management Affairs.

The post UN appeals for K71bn relief for recovery first appeared on The Nation Online.