Tropical Cyclone Freddy hit southern Malawi on March 10, 2023, resulting in severe damage and loss of life. As the full extent of the damage caused by the cyclone becomes clear, disaster authorities in Malawi report a steep increase in the number of fatalities, people missing, and people displaced from their homes.

Around 500,000 people are estimated to be affected by floods, mudslides, and wind damage following the passage of Tropical Cyclone Freddy in southern Malawi. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) in Malawi estimated that Cyclone Freddy dumped the equivalent of 6 months of rainfall in 6 days, resulting in widespread flooding and landslides.

Public infrastructure such as schools, health facilities, and roads have suffered severe damage. An estimated 40,000 houses have been damaged, destroyed, or deemed currently unsafe, forcing over 180,000 people to move from their homes. Over 300 camps have been set up as emergency accommodation. The number of displacements includes around 40,000 people in Chikwawa and over 37,000 in each of the districts of Mulanje and Nsanje.

The Department of Disaster Management Affairs of Malawi (DoDMA) reports that 326 people have now lost their lives. As many as 180 fatalities were reported in Blantyre City and Blantyre District, where mudslides and flooding have been particularly severe. Almost 90 people have died in Mulanje. Almost 800 people have sustained injuries.

DoDMA added that 201 people have been reported missing, and search and rescue efforts are continuing in Nsanje, Chikwawa, Mulanje, Phalombe, and Blantyre districts, where most of the areas are still flooded. The Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (DCCMS) in Malawi reported that Cyclone Freddy, which reduced into a Low-Pressure Area, has now completely dispersed, and normal rainy season weather conditions will now continue.

The situation in Malawi remains critical, with the full extent of the damage still unclear. The government, in collaboration with humanitarian organizations, has launched an appeal for assistance to support the affected population. The WFP has already provided food assistance to over 200,000 people affected by the cyclone, while other organizations are providing emergency shelter, water, and sanitation facilities, and medical assistance.

In conclusion, Tropical Cyclone Freddy has caused severe damage and loss of life in southern Malawi. The government, in collaboration with humanitarian organizations, is working tirelessly to provide assistance to the affected population. However, much more support is needed to ensure that those affected by the cyclone receive the necessary assistance to rebuild their lives.