Mutharika visits floods victims in eastern Malawi: Pictorial
President Peter Mutharika on Friday visited areas hit by floods and cheered victims of the disaster in Mangochi and Balaka districts.
Earlier this week, the Head of State declared a third of the country to be a disaster zone and appealed for help.
Mutharika has called the floods a “national tragedy that urgently needs both local and international response”.
The Malawi leader, who was accompanied by the First Lady Madam Gertrude Mutharika, assured the people affected by the disaster of government’s total support and assistance to minimise their suffering .
He said since the declaration of the flood districts a disaster, there has been overwhelming response from within and outside the country.
The President said the government has received inquiries on the assistance needed from countries such as Sweden, South Africa, United States of America, Botswana among others.
Among other things he said the goverment will immediately give the displaced families most of whom are accommodated in schools, food supplies and provide them with tents.
The death toll from floods ravaging Malawi has risen to 176 with many more missing and 200,000 homeless, Vice President Saulos Chilima said Friday, as more heavy rain was predicted.
Speaking after flying in a military helicopter over the worst affected Lower Shire districts of Nsanje and Chikwawa in the south, he said the country faced “a big challenge”.
Earlier, disaster officials warned that more heavy rain was expected.
“The government is urging people living in flood-prone districts to urgently relocate to upland areas to avoid losing more lives,” said Paul Chiunguzeni, principal secretary for Disaster Management Affairs.
The floods, which have wreaked havoc on half the the country’s 28 districts, have disrupted power supplies, plunging some areas into darkness.
Chirunguzeni said about 1,180 flood victims stranded on patches of high ground had been evacuated since rescue missions with military helicopters and boats were launched Thursday.
In a statement Friday, African Union chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said the organisation would give the “highest priority to providing modest humanitarian assistance” to Malawi “as soon as possible”.
The World Food Programme said it would airlift stocks to flooded areas.
“Ready-to-eat food will be prioritised for the most vulnerable people, particularly children, who have been displaced from their homes and have no access to food or cooking facilities,” the WFP said.
Five major roads in the south have been closed after bridges were washed away, including some on the road to the prime tourist destination of Mangochi on the shores of Lake Malawi.
This made an access to the hardest-hit areas “extremely difficult”, the WFP said.
Hein Zeelie of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the central and northern parts of the country were the agency’s next concern “as we are expecting heavy rains for those areas for the next week”.
“A lot of preparation activities have been taking place for the rainy season, but no matter how well prepared one could have been, the extreme amount of rainfall would have led to this situation.”—(Additional reporting by Felix Mponda, AFP)
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kikikikikikikikikiki ndipo anthu omwe nyumba zawo zili mmadzi sanawafikile anabwelera pa main venue ya function yakeyo. Anthu ten ndikulandira ma blanket ndi nyemba 10 kgs chimanga chinabwelera osachigawa
Nanunso inu a Rock President sangakwanise kuyendera anthu ovutika ndi madziwo khomo ndi khomo. He is very busy man @this time. Pls write sensible mufwetu.
Some people just like to criticize basi. What matters is that the president went to visit the affected areas n saw mavuto omwe anthu akumana nawo. Zoti anavala suit zilibe ntchito. Thats nothing. Its not even an issue. Why anthu enanu mumangopanga criticize zinthu mwa emotional n personal?? I mean even osachita manyazi kupanga post such type of comments? Come on lets be objective n sober in our criticisms. Seriously nkhani yazovala seriously??
Limeneli likuoneka kuti ndi bulangati la anthu avutikitsitsa osati omwe akupelekawo. Zikomo bwana president
I have been reading some comments which suggest that the president was ill advised by wearing a suit at his visit to the disaster area. Well in my opinion i don’t think because wat he was wearing was not a suit at all. A suit is a jacket and a pair of trouser that looks a like. What matters most is the intention and not what wears and after all for earth sake it wasn’t a suit. The only error they did was to put the red carpet.
im very thankful the pipo who trying to help malawi God bless you
im very sorry for all malawians although am in south africa. I will also try to help some of them its very sad story but God is with us
Iweyo ukunyoza ? Iweyo wapereka chiyani. Khaya bulangete ndi laling’ono pena ai none of ur concern. Bravo Peter. You are moving in the right direction
Enawatu akufuna alemererepo ndithu. Chithandidzo bwana wathu ndiye wapempha ndipo chayamba kale kufika mdziko muno. Tingowapemphanso abwana omwewo kuti apange zothekera kuti anthu okhawo omwe ali oyenera kulandira thandizoli alandiredi. Chifukwa monga tikudziwa tonse kuti “UMBANDA” wakula kwambiri ku Nyasalande, let’s just pray kuti ntchitoyi iyende bwino ndi kukafikira awo amene ali okhudzidwa.
Nkhani yomvetsa chosoni,
Can someone please tell me how to go about to donate some money. I have about K200,000 that I feel can go long way my problem is am in SA. Please can someone or an organization send me an email on [email protected]. I really feel for the affected people and I Pray to God to give them strength.
Kodi mayi getu akumayendabe ku public after kuba ndalama za NAC? Mr President, mwachita bwino kuyendela abale omwe avutika kamba ka madzi osefukila. Mwadzionela nokha mavuto ndi ameneo. Koma nbava yanuyo musiye kuyenda naye kugulu. Bad PR for you.
kodi bulangeti akugawali imapanga ndi company yanji mmalawimuno??
bulangei la galu or la munthu?
Are u trying tell us that we must copy other caltural believes? Our elders alway in a smart suit & adzukulu in a working suit thats what makes us be Malawian people in times like this and we shall be Malawian no chinese pple.
Who shows up to a disaster area dressed in a suit and tie? Somebody get this guy a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, please!
This is another wake up call to our leaders and other public representatives. we need to get prepared for the worst. Markets have been gutting down by horrible fire nothing has been done for other similar incidents.. we are doing totally nothing i mean no fire fighter no rescue teams. In this flood issue we have no speed boats, no life jackets, no medication, no tents no choppers no nothing.
ZAKUGWERANI A KUMWERA NOKANOKA,MAYETSA MMATI MULIPO AMBIRI NDIYE MKUDANDAULA CHANI
When other Presidents visit disaster areas in their countries , they at least dress in attire appropriate to place they are visiting.
Our president was very smartly dressed ,complete with his smartly dressed wife , and a red carpet to boot !
How does he go around in this type of attire? How does he wade into water to visit the victims of the calamity? How do you walk on a red carpet on water?
Our protocol officers if there are any are just a bunch of arse kisser ! no idea what is appropriate where and when.
koma mulungu odziwa kusamala awasamale
Zoona Muthalika kuvala suit mpaka red carpet? Ife tikuvutika? Ndikukumbukila Ku Japan kunali ngozi yachilengedwe tinamuona m’tsogoleli wawo anavala ovolo(overall)kupita kukawaendela anthu,komano Japan tingaelekeze ndi Malawi kapena m’tsogoleli wawo tingaelekeze ndi athuwa? Mwatani kodi? Inutu munaenela kuphunzitsa basi osati upulezident,mwandikhumudwitsa.
ASAAAAA…YOUR EXCELLENCY, GOVT RESPONSE TO THE FLOODS TRAGEDY HAS BEEN GOOD, THANK YOU FOR THAT. THE VP HAS BEEN GREAT…AND IN CHILIMA YOU HAVE A WORKHORSE …NEVER ENTERTAIN ANY LIES ANYBODY IN MULHAKO TELLS YOU ABOUT THIS YOUNG MAN. BUT I WISH TO AGREE WITH OTHERS WHO HAVE FOUND IT ABSURD THAT YOU SHOULD BE STEPPING ON A RED CARPET IN PLACES WHERE DEAD BODIES ARE FLOATING…YOU LOOK RIDICULOUS INDEED! NEXT TIME…TAKE OUT THAT SUIT AND NECK TIE. YOUR ADVISERS SHOULD KNOW BETTER…
Only god knows
Flood gate, NACgate , Mulhakhogate, Watergate , Escomgate, cashgate etc etc usova Pitara
Thanks, this is good president
Symptoms of a country being run against the will of Lord. Chipsinjo after chipsinjo. Mulungu akutilanga because ofelectioneering by DPP and Mbendera SC (Snr Crook). Madzi kupha anthu ochuluka kwambiri, magetsi mayazi , madzi amene mmipopi njeeeeee. Mulungu kukana bomali uku akutilanga
Ukunama iwe with your failed party. U need DPP consultants otherwise u will never rule as such u will continue feeling the pain
Iwedi dzina lako ndi Mavuto kkkkkkk. Used to mavuto. Moti Sukuva kuwawatu ndi izi zikuchitikazi.
Iwe ndiye which kuwawa kumene ukumva iweko za mkhutu basi
Zoona man Vito.
Who is feeling the pain bwana. There are no floods in the centre. These are meant for thieves so that you know what happens when your government has no money and you need help but everyone has deserted you. Simunati munya muona njala ili mmbuyomo. Chimanga chakokolo phenembe zanka ndi madzi
Kodi mukasowa zolemba osamaseweresa akatundu mukuyenda naowo bwanji cisankho magesi kusefukira kwa madzi zikugwirizana pati akulu akulu kaya ndi umbuli ayi guys this is 2much timanena ife xool njabwino nanga taonani kusokoneza anthu akuti ma floods iwe ukukamba za mavoti. mmutumo
Ma floods ndi chilango munabera WA chiuta inu simungadziwe Chifukwa chake simukuona kugwirizana kwake Mulungu amadalitsa Ana ake ndipo dats a amalanga ndi kuzuza Ana ake
good gesture,showing that u care
Well done for visiting the flood victims but the president’s attire and red carpet are not appropriate in such difficult situations. Your advisors should have learned from other world leaders how they dress in such situations!! Indeed even the president himself should know better.
But what about the visits to the north?
nyemba mukuwapatsa anthudzi aphika kuti mkhuni kulibe mapoto anapita ndi madzi manje
Palibe zakutha apa, where in the world munaonako president kukayendera anthu affectd ndi disaster ali mu tie komanso akuti red carpet…?
Why red carpet and in a suit? This Peter of yours so detached. Pathetic of a leader
Lucius is currently in wealth, swimming in fortunes, and in blue DPP dressing – laughing with Peter at a time when they are supposed to be sad with the suffering flood victims.
Monga kumaliro kwa Bishop palibe ati asekelere
Koma abale president wa Malawi ngonyasa nkhope! Zeni zeni zija oyimba ena anati zonkira kupusi
APM munapitako bcoz of pressure kapena munafunadi kupitako? Mmayenda muzovuta kapena u only went to your brothers funeral? Ulibe ma gumboots oti carpet yakoyo ukanaisiya uko? Munali okhudzidwa or u wanted to please faz idziti mr no talk ayenda ndipo athoka? Munthu oipa iwe kuba kwa mbale wako 91 bilion plus government MEcgate zakubwelara usanati,.
Plot for sale in zomba with two houses it have a very big yard for more info call +265888650333
CHIPONGWE KWABASI ANTHU ZIWIYA ZAPITA MUKUWAPASA NYEMBA AKAPHIKA KUTI ?KOMA INU a DPP ndinu zisilu kwabasi
GOD have mercy
Nanga ku Karonga mubwerako liti? Paja nsomba zinafatu!
Ine ndi banja langa tikupepesa chifukwa cha ngozi iyiyatigwela. Free advice to our politicians in Malawi is that let us borrow a leaf from our friends in Mauritius. I was very impressed when I visited Port Louis, Mauritius. It is a small city but well planned. The whole Port Louis has “permanent structures of dykes” well fortified with stones – (dykes are banks, barrages, barriers, walls, embankments, dams, channels or drains). I appeal to our HE APM, that we have to approach our Chinese friends to assist us as part of our long term strategy on how to combat such future “Floodgates” in Malawi. Let’s learn a lesson from this year’s experience.
Well done APM
Visiting disaster affected area in a tie? Never seen this before, he should take a leaf from hard working leaders of other countries like USA, Japan, Australia, Philippines etc shirt sleeves rolled, no neck tie and in industrial boots. This President is one lazy being.
nanga nyembazo ndiye anthu akaphika kuti poti ziwiya alibe??
Why red carpet at such a place? Could have forgone this at least for once.
Thanks very much Mr. President.
My concern is this where are the small boats which were in CHIPOKA SHEDS AT THE PORT MET FOR WATER RIVERS, LAKES AND FLOODS, THERE IS ONLY CHRISSY 1 at Marine College Monkey-bay and the other one[Chrissy 2] is at NSANJE PORT. Please find out with Ministery of Transport and Water.
The boats are supposed to assist during this period.
Thumbs up all the well wishers including the Chairperson of AU Dlamini Zuma and Malawi president Pro.Peter Mutharika and Vice President Saulosi Chilima
Mumaitha munthu wakulu
What short of madness using vvip red carpet in areas flooded by rains? Can Malawi grow up please these idiotic President with his tie and red carpet shows conceit.
May the Lord lay His hand on the victims to reduce the suffering.
The rest of the pictures show the president very concerned, but the first one – Ahh! Lucius and the president, this is not a laughing situation.
Matsoka onse omwe tikukumana nawo Ku Malawi kuno chifukwa cha iwe Muthalika ndi gulu lako la dpp,to hell with your visit. Fotsekiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mulungu akhuze onse omwe akuvutika ngozi imeneyi!
How do someone donate if they are in SA?
Bring back the 91 billion Kwachas Mutharika that you and big brother Bingu looted. Then Malawians can be rehoused and fed. You are a thief.
nanga carpetiyo ndiyachani. munapita kukanyada eti
A good gesture, but don’t party uniform such occasions.
Lets pray for our loved ones for their safety. This was prophesied on Ufulu Radio last August or September 2014 n its now the word come true. However, if we humble ourselves to prayer, we can have our land healed. Sorry to those who have lost their loved ones and even properties. God help us
Ma military helicopter adziuluka uluka pafupi pafupi angadzanokole