By NATION REPORTER
Zambia has moved to provide humanitarian assistance to Malawi, which has been severely battered by cyclone Freddy, which has left a trail of destruction, with close to 300 people dead.
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And The Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) has dispatched a plane carrying a consignment of humanitarian aid worth about US$1 million to help survivors of Cyclone Freddy in Malawi.
Thousands have been displaced and are in need of emergency humanitarian aid and Zambia has offered assistance and the first Zambia Air Force (ZAF) plane has since landed in Lilongwe with an assortment of supplies including food.
Minister of Defence Ambrose Lufuma has disclosed that Zambia has started offering humanitarian assistance to the floods victims from the devastating effects of Cyclone Freddy.
Mr Lufuma said President Hakainde Hichilema, as Commander in Chief of the Defence Forces has authorized that humanitarian aid should immediately be provided to Malawi, a country battling the effects of Cyclone Freddy that has left thousands displaced, close to 300 people dead with a devastating trail of destruction.
He said while a ZAF plane had already landed in Lilongwe with a tranche of an assotement of relief supplies, Zambia was also transporting by road about 100 metric tons of maize through Chipata to Lilongwe.
“The President of the Republic of Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema and Commander in Chief of the Defense Forces has authorised the Defense forces to immediately send humanitarian aid to the flood victims in Malawi following the devastating effects of cyclone Freddie. Meanwhile, a total of 100 metric tons of maize is in transit from Chipata to Lilongwe.
Mr Lufuma said Zambia was providing assorted items mobilised by the Disaster Management Mitigation Unit (DMMU) which items included 300 tents, 300 blankets, 300 mosquito nets, 1,000 dignity kits, 100 Metric tonnes of Maize, 50x50kg Bags of Beans, 1,000 kitchen sets, 1,000 salt dozens and 1,000 bottles of Chlorine.
And The Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) has dispatched a plane carrying a consignment of humanitarian aid worth about US$1 million to help survivors of Cyclone Freddy in Malawi.
The consignment of emergency food and non-food relief item from Zambia has been dispatched using the Zambia Airforce aircraft.
President Hichilema directed DMMU to provide relief intervention to neighboring Malawi after his counterpart President Lazarus Chakwera declared a state of disaster following the devastating cyclone that ripped through the country and left over 250 people dead in Blantyre and other cities.
DMMU National Coordinator Dr. Gabriel Pollen in the company of Ministry of Information and Media Permanent Secretary Kalunga officially flagged off the relief dispatch to Malawi at ZAF Lusaka Airport yesterday morning.
Dr. Pollen told the media that Zambia was providing humanitarian aid to Malawi to help survivors of the cyclone despite the country also facing devastating floods in many regions.
Dr. Pollen said President Hichilema’s decision to direct DMMU to provide humanitarian aid to Malawi is in the spirit of good neighborliness.
Among the donated relief items dispatched to Malawi include maize, beans, salt, tents, Liquid chlorine, blankets, dignity kits, sanitary and hygiene packs, kitchen sets, and mosquito nets.
Media reports indicate that there are currently many casualties of Cyclone Freddy in Malawi, either wounded, missing, or dead and the number has continued to increase.
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