Record breaking Cyclone Freddy has doubled back on southern Africa, this time wreaking havoc in southern Malawi where landslides and flooding have killed 190 and left 58,946 homeless.
Tearfund’s Country Director for Malawi, Vincent Moyo, said: “The church has already started responding by providing shelter and food to those whose houses have been destroyed. The church is also providing psychosocial support to the bereaved as they bury the dead.
“In Chikwawa, Tearfund’s partner Eagles are already working with internally displaced people. Those affected have lost their food supplies. Houses have collapsed and kitchen utensils and cooking pots have been washed away in the flood water.”
Tearfund’s partners will be responding with cash transfers for the most vulnerable people, enabling them to equip themselves with the necessities required to withstand this emergency.
Edgar Jone, Tearfund’s Country Director for Mozambique, which is also affected said: “Although cyclones are to be expected at this time of year, our experience is that they are becoming much more intense and dangerous as a result of climate change. Being prepared with plans for evacuation and emergency relief is essential to save lives.”
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For further information or to arrange an interview with Vincent Moyo or Edgar Jone, please contact Tearfund’s media team on [email protected] or call 07929 339813.
Notes to Editors:
Tearfund is a Christian charity that partners with churches in more than 50 of the world’s poorest countries. We tackle poverty through sustainable development, responding to disasters and challenging injustice. We believe an end to extreme poverty is possible. Tearfund is also a member of the Disasters Emergency Committee. For more information about the work of Tearfund, please visit www.tearfund.org.
