More than 450 people are confirmed dead and hundreds more remain missing after Tropical Cyclone Freddy pummeled southern Malawi.

The country’s President, Lazarus Chakwera, has declared 14 days of national mourning following the devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Freddy. The cyclone has also made hundreds of thousands of people in Malawi homeless in the past week.

Self Help Africa is working alongside agencies, including UNICEF Malawi and the International Committee of the Red Cross, to support the Government’s response to the crisis.

Cyclone Freddy has claimed more than 550 lives across Malawi, Mozambique and Madagascar. Malawi is worst affected. Heavy rains and flooding have caused deadly landslides that have destroyed homes, villages, roads and bridges in the south of the country.

Cyclone Freddy has struck during a deadly cholera outbreak in Malawi that has already killed more than 1,700 people in the country within the last year. Health authorities are now warning the cyclone is likely to increase cholera risk, as widespread flooding has washed away toilets and already vulnerable sanitation systems, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without access to safe, clean drinking water. 

Self Help Africa and our sister organisation United Purpose, with whom we merged more than a year ago, have been providing aid and assistance. This includes tarpaulins, buckets, soap, water purification tablets and other essential supplies, to communities affected by the deadly storm in displaced peoples’ camps and in areas where we are working.