Cyclone Freddy has been one of the longest lasting storms ever recorded in the southern hemisphere - lasting at least 36 days. Freddy met wind speeds in excess of 160mph and has amounted for over 600mm of rainfall in some locations. By the time that Freddy met Malawi, it had reached tropical storm strength and this is where it had the largest impact.
Malawi has declared 14 days of mourning as a result of the devastation that Cyclone Freddy has caused. This BBC video provides more information.
On Thursday the death toll across Malawi, Mozambique and Madagascar had already exceeded 300. Over 700 people have been injured, 40 missing and 80,000 displaced.
Malawi are currently experiencing a Cholera outbreak and there are fears that the effects of this storm will exacerbate the situation through the degradation and loss of human habitat - these make populations prone to water borne diseases.
Mangochi district is among the areas most affected by the cyclone. 8 people have been registered injured and 2,214 households have been displaced.
Within our target community, 103 households have been destroyed by the cyclone.
It is apparent that most of the fallen houses had weak foundations and were built using mud. Our communities are in dire need of donations to aid with the construction of raised foundations for houses out of strong and durable materials such as stones and cement blocks. This will make these houses more resilient from water seeping in through the floors.
Cyclone Freddy has now broken up however rainfall is still present across parts of Malawi. This could contribute to further cases of flooding and increases in the spread of Cholera. Many of our students' homes have been destroyed and we are urging for donations so we can provide support as soon as possible.
Here is the house of one of our students:
There are various ways that you can donate. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact finance@fomoe.org or any of our social media pages.
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