Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) says it requires K147.8 billion to implement Tropical Cyclone Freddy Emergency Response Plan to address immediate survival needs of the affected people.

But the plan released yesterday indicates that Dodma has only raised K37.3 billion for implementation, meaning there is a deficit of K110.6 billion.

The three-month plan targeting 363 856 households or about 1 637 352 people will help in restoring basic socio-economic services and facilitate the affected people’s transition to early recovery.

It further states that priorities of the response plan are life-saving restoration of basic socio-economic services and activities that can be implemented within the three months from April to June.

Reads the report in part: “Failure to adequately respond to current humanitarian needs is likely to have the following far reaching consequences: Limited access to food, low income, worsened poverty situation and inability to access diversified food.

Part of the cyclone damage in Ntauchila Village in Chiradzulu

“Increased occurrence of violence, exploitation and abuse, morbidity and mortality, incidences of waterborne and communicable diseases including cholera and malaria, high prevalence of malnutrition among children and lactating women among others.”

Dodma commissioner Charles Kalemba has been appealing for support from individuals, companies and organisations for various to assist the effected and displaced people in the Cyclone Freddy disaster.

Of the required amount, food security is pegged at K65 million, the agriculture sector at K21 million, the transport sector at K29 million, health at K9 million, education at K5 million, water and sanitation at K4.6 million  The food security cluster has the highest deficit of K48 million.

In terms of percentage of the affected population to the total district population, Phalombe is the most affected with 60 percent followed by Chiradzulu with 54 percent while Mulanje has 53 percent, Nsanje 44 percent, Zomba 43 percent and Blantyre is at 35 percent.

More than 44 roads were damaged, of which 16 are major roads, 17 are secondary roads, and 10 are tertiary roads. and over 40 bridges have been damaged in the 15 councils.

Dodma has further underscored the urgent need to clear the roads and repair damaged sections and bridges to sustain the humanitarian supply chain and facilitate easy delivery of the socio-economic services.

The report comes a day after Parliament passed the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Bill repealing the Disaster Preparedness and Relief Act (Cap. 33:05) and replace it with a new Act to align the law with developments in the area of disaster preparedness, risk reduction, and response and recovery.

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