President declares Malawi state of disaster: Appeals for assistance as floods and drought hit
President Peter Mutharika has declared Malawi a state of disaster as floods have hit most parts of the north following continuous rains for close to two weeks and drought in most parts of the south.
Mutharika made the declaration on Tuesday as vice president Saulos Chilima braved heavy rains to visit muddy and slippery areas of 1700 displaced people camps.
The President has done this in accordance with powers conferred upon him by section 32(1) of the Disaster Preparedness and Relief Act. In a statement released on Tuesday April 12, the day on which the declaration took effect.
Mutharika points out persistent dry spells facilitated by El Nino , inadequate or erratic rainfall and
destructive floods as some of the factors behind the current state of affairs.
The declaration will help both local and international organisations to solicit aid for the needy.
Mutharika says the floods and drought will force food production to go down by 24 per cent compared to last year and the number of beneficiaries of relief food will shoot up from the current three million people in government data base.
So far six people have been killed and 10 people are in hospitals with serious injuries following collapse of 1080 houses in Mzuzu alone due to heavy rains.
There are also reports of deaths due to hunger related due to drought in some parts of the country but President Mutharika and his government rejects this year.
Informed by expert advice from Ministry of Agriculture officials, the President said Malawi needs just over three million metric tonnes of maize every year but it is projected that next year Malawi will have 2.4 million metric tonnes. This year Malawi had 2.7 million metric tonnes of maize, signalling a 12.5 percent drop in maize production.
He therefore has appealed for humanitarian relief assistance from international donor community, United Nations agencies, NGOs, private sector as well as citizens of goodwill.
Food and governance experts have hailed President Mutharika for his proactive and pragmatic response to seemingly another year of food shortage.
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Honourable your Excellence, Kindly get up with your Cabinet and do somethig, do not treat us this way. Declaring a State of Emergency while your sitting with your Cabinet at Stae House and siping tea while we are dying ….. Please read the signs …. read the book of Daniel, don’t forget to read what was written on the wall.
UPresident wakuba munthu umatembeleredwa. Bola JB ankapemphera and God was listening to her pleas. Koma inu ndiye simuumva kukoma udindo. Wakuba amayesela kuonetsa ngati akunjoya koma satana amakhalan akumupusitsa. You can not steal from a man of God Chawera and expect happiness. You will be tortured sizinaonekenso and your cronies will realise that Mulungu si James to expect that you can steal and enjoy. Wina alira mpaka agwa ndi BP. How can you put maize pa nsalu ngati anthu angadye chimenecho. Your blasphemy stinks DPP
Peter Muthalika has nothing to loose,he has all the necessities of life including his cohorts.Above that his caucus is terribly confused it does not know where to start or to end,the nation is indeed, on “SAvE OUR SOULS” call.Here again,it proves that Peter doesn’t carry a single iota of national leadership,we are in problems here and Peter cares the less.He knew already about the weather patterns,he could have prepared with his Ministers and his good for nothing kleptocrats on how to handle the disastrous food shortage.Once again,Peter has failed Malawians what he knows is to organize his fellow Lomwes and… Read more »
Most of the dwelling structures in Malawi are poorly constructed. Roads are poor. Add to this, poor drainage. Any heavy downpour is disaster in Malawi. Britain and US experienced some of the worst flooding. I don’t what would have been the case if it were in Malawi. Where is disaster management and preparedness by the way? We are more reactive than being proactive. This El Nino thing was predicted long time ago we could have measures in place. But we like it this way as it is our excuse for begging. Now understand this, donors and well wishers don’t trust… Read more »
Mr. Pesident,
Every year it is the same. We have droughts, floods and not enough to eat. Please think long term for once and invest in resilience and adaptation. We beg you!!
Thanks for declaring as this will trigger support from those well wishers who are always with us during these trying times .
Don’t worry north I talk to papa Major1 about this situation,he will rescue it.
We need a proper (DRP) disaster recovery plan in this country. As the President declared Himself that this country is a disaster country. This is the time for the Minister to tay in his office and make a good DRP for the country. Don’t weast alot of money moving up and down, just find better alternative to combat the calamity.
This is laziness how can you declare malawi state disaster, cholinga chofuna help from out side, i thought you learned from last year of what happened in southern region and put everything in place just in case something will happen again? Amalawi to be honest we have well educated people, why they are not putting their education into practice…..Bingu was very much better, he tried…APM, BAKILI JOYCE Madeya okha okha ….Amalawi lets stop of electing someone based on political party .. Koma tidzivoter kutengera munthu amene angakonde dzikoli…. what APM have achieved so far we cant tell,,, wapanga chani ali… Read more »
We urgently need the prophet. Have he heard about this? C’mon Gwamba, tell the Major that he is once again needed here to rescue us. Anawayamba dala a Malawi asatisiyire panjira ulendowu ngwautali.