The United Nations (UN) has released $5.5 million (about K5.7 billion) to support communities that have been affected by Cyclone Freddy in the country.

UNs emergency relief coordinator Martin Griffiths says the money has been drawn from the Central Emergency Response Fund to assist people affected by the Tropical Cyclone Freddy in Malawi.

According to a statement released on Sunday, the support follows UN resident coordinator Rebecca Adda-Dontoh’s visit to some camps sheltering the survivors last week where she called upon the international community to support Malawi.

She said the support aims to assist those who have been hardest-hit with life-saving and life-sustaining help, including water, sanitation and hygiene, shelter and vital non-food items, food, healthcare and prevention of gender-based violence and child protection risks.

Adda-Dontoh said: “The destruction and suffering that I witnessed in southern Malawi is the human face of the global climate crisis. The people I met with many of whom have lost their homes and loved ones have done nothing to cause this crisis.

Adda-Dontoh: Many people have lost their homes

“We, as the United Nations, stand in full solidarity with the people of Malawi at this tragic time and we call on the international community to do the same.”

In an interview yesterday, Adda-Dontoh said the money will be sent to UN agencies working in the country who will then support the government with various interventions.

“Currently, we have more than 20 UN agencies in Malawi that qualify for the grant. And the grant will be wired to those UN agencies that will submit their proposals on the response to Cyclone Freddy,” she said.

Adda-Dontoh emphasized that considering that Malawi is in a disaster, the process of allocating the funds will be fast.

“The agencies can access the funds soon after submitting their proposals,” she said.

President Lazarus Chakwera declared a State of Disaster on Sunday and appealed to both local and international organisations for assistance.

The cyclone has, so far, killed 476 and displaced 490, 098 people who are currently being housed in 533 camp sites.

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