Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera has announced fourteen days of national mourning after more than two hundred and twenty people died in floods and landslides caused by Cyclone Freddy.
President Chakwera has asked for international help to help with rescue operations and to rebuild the nation after the heavy rain that fell for six days caused a major disaster in the country.
“Malawi is in a state of disaster, what hurricane Freddy has done is to push us back while we were rebuilding ourselves from the disasters of the past. I ask the international community to look at us with a sympathetic eye because we need help, we need help to deal with the survivors who have lost everything. They need basic things, shelter, clothing, food.”
Authorities say approximately 41 people are still missing following heavy rains that caused floods and landslides to wash away their homes.
More than 4000 have been displaced and are currently sheltered in temporary buildings across the country.
The president also said an emergency cabinet meeting approved the release of $1.5 million to help thousands of Malawians affected by the storm.
President Chakwera said the funds will not be enough.
“The state of destruction we are facing here is greater than the resources we have.