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The Salvation Army is responding after severe floods caused devastation in Malawi.
Over 300 people are reported to be dead or missing, and more than 100,000 people were left homeless, with an estimated 300,000 affected in some way. Moses Wandulu, territorial commander in Malawi, reports that houses, livestock, food and crops have been swept away, leaving survivors with nothing.
Wandulu said that The Salvation Army in Malawi has been badly affected by the flooding, with some halls and quarters left unusable. Captains Amos and Alice Zikatiwindu and their family at Osiyana Corps only survived by taking refuge up a tree for three days and nights. Wandulu and the emergency team have visited the captains, providing food and clothing and supporting the family in prayer.
The Army is responding to the needs of vulnerable families in five communities, working in coordination with the government and other agencies to meet the most urgent needs as efficiently possible. Distributions are being planned to deliver items such as maize, peas and beans to help support the families’ requirements for food, along with mosquito nets to protect against the threat of malaria, and blankets to help people cope with the cold.
The Salvation Army’s Canada and Bermuda Territory has already provided almost $20,000 for food, bedding and mosquito nets to 240 people in Chikwawa, but more funds are urgently needed.
