Flemish Government gives 200,000 euro to help the victims of Storm Freddy in Malawi
The Flemish Government is providing 200,000 euro in emergency aid for the victims of tropical Storm Freddy in Malawi. The announce that Flanders is to provide Malawi with emergency aid was announced by the office of Flemish Finance Minister Matthias Diependaele (nationalist) on Friday. The Flemish Government will transfer the money to the Flemish Red Cross, which will also donate 100,000 euro of its own funds to help the victims of the storm.
Mr Diependaele is currently on a working visit to Malwai. He told journalist that "Flanders has been active in Malawi since 2006 and supports countless projects there. Now that the country has once again been hit very hard, we intend to further increase the level of aid we provide. I visited part of the disaster area together with the President of Malawi, the situation there is terrible," Mr Diependaele said.
The cyclone Storm Freddy first hit Madagascar and Mozambique at the end of February and then retreated to the Indian Ocean. However, on 11 March Storm Freddy came ashore again and the storm also reached Malawi.
This week the death toll is the country rose to more than 500. A further 427 people are still missing and 1,300 people have been seriously injured. The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned on Thursday of major health risks such as cholera or malaria. More than 300 health facilities in Malawi have been destroyed or flooded.
The aid provided by the Flemish Government will support search and rescue operations and the provision of first aid and basic health care in regions where hospitals have been damaged. Funding will also go to the distribution of food, mattresses, tents, mosquito nets and cooking utensils and personal hygiene kits.