The UK is providing an emergency package of assistance comprising: a team of emergency medical personnel, a team with international search and rescue expertise (ISAR), specialist boats, and urgently needed emergency relief items such as shelter materials and water filters.
This is in addition to the immediate support the UK provided to the Malawi Government at the Emergency Operations Centre in Blantyre when the cyclone hit. This included food assistance, staff and vehicles to help Government and the UN launch emergency operations.
The UK ISAR team will be supporting Malawian counterparts; the team is bringing lightweight, nimble boats and a drone team to help in the search for survivors of the floods. These boats will be gifted to the Malawian Government for future emergency use when the UK ISAR team departs.
The Emergency Medical Team (EMT) will support hospitals in southern Malawi to treat the victims of Cyclone Freddy. They will also join with an existing cholera-focussed UK EMT to help reduce the risk of the ongoing cholera outbreak getting worse, following the floods.
Shelter and water filters will provide emergency shelter to approximately 3,000 people and allow up to 12,750 of those affected by floods, to access clean water and protect themselves from disease.
The UK International Search and Rescue advance party arrived in Malawi on Friday, 17 March. An additional Emergency Medical Team arrived in Blantyre on 18 March. The main UK International Search and Rescue team arrived through Kamuzu International Airport.
Acting British High Commissioner to Malawi, Sophia Willitts-King, said: “The UK is saddened by the tragic loss of life caused by Cyclone Freddy due to the extreme rainfall and unprecedented flooding in Southern Malawi. We stand side by side with Malawi in responding to this crisis.
“The UK’s rapid support will help Malawi with its search and rescue efforts. The additional medical capacity will help Malawi’s hospitals save lives. We are providing temporary shelter to give families protection from the weather.
“We are also investing in equipment that will help people access clean water and sanitation facilities. This support is vital to prevent the spread of deadly diseases, including cholera.”
Cyclone Freddy made landfall in Mozambique on 11 March and Malawi on 12 March. The flooding has already displaced 19,000 people. Malawi was hit particularly hard with what would have previously been judged as a 1-in-20 a year weather event.
While the wider picture remains unclear due to lack of access, landslides on the hillsides around Blantyre and severe flooding throughout Southern Malawi has resulted in over 326 deaths, 832 injured, and 282 missing, with the displacement of over 40,702 homes (approximately 183,159 people), as of 17 March. The flood waters are predicted to peak at the beginning of next week.
The UK ISAR deployed through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, following a request for assistance from Malawi. The team is on permanent standby to mobilise and assist when requested by disaster-affected countries. It always deploys as an official UK government team once a request has been made for assistance.
The UK ISAR is self-sufficient and provides its own food, water, shelter, sanitation, communications and all necessary equipment to undertake search and rescue operations for up to 14 days. This is to ensure no additional burden is placed upon a country already suffering demands on its resources, following a sudden onset disaster.
The UK ISAR was established in 1993 and has 30 years of experience deploying internationally to such disasters historically. The team is made up of 14 fire and rescue services.
£400,000 storm aid for Malawi from Scotland
Emergency relief funding following record-breaking storm
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has pledged £400,000 of financial support to Malawi to assist with emergency relief efforts in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Freddy.
The funding was confirmed in a letter to Malawian President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, and the First Minister also expressed the sincere condolences of the people of Scotland, following the tragic loss of life.
As of Monday 20 March, 499 people in the country have been killed and more than 508,244 people displaced as a result of the storm, which is the longest lasting and highest energy tropical cyclone ever recorded. A state of disaster in the Southern Region of Malawi has also been declared.
The storm’s impact comes as Malawi faces what the UN has described as the deadliest cholera outbreak in its recorded history. In January, the Scottish Government provided more than £236,000 to aid the Malawian Government’s outbreak response.
The letter reads:
Your Excellency,
It is with great sadness that I find myself writing on this occasion. Please accept the sincere condolences of the people of Scotland, and the Scottish Government, following the tragic loss of life and displacement of people as a result of Tropical Cyclone Freddy.
It is heart wrenching to see the death, injury, and substantial damage to thousands of people’s homes and livelihoods, all at a time when Malawi is already facing a severe cholera outbreak.
I want to confirm today that we will pledge £400,000 to support emergency flood relief in Malawi. We are discussing with partners working on the ground already as to the most effective way that we can provide that support for those most in need and will engage Malawian Department of Disaster Management as we develop the projects.
Our thoughts are with all those affected by Tropical Storm Freddy, the people of Malawi at this difficult time and with your government in your response.
Nicola Sturgeon
