When the potent cyclone Freddy made a comeback and killed hundreds, Malawi’s president on Monday proclaimed a state of calamity in seven southern regions, including the commercial capital Blantyre.
President Lazarus Chakwera “has noted with grave concern the devastation that Cyclone Freddy is currently bringing to most districts… and declared a state of disaster in the Southern region,” the presidency said a statement, after the storm left a trail of destruction and killed more than 60 people in the southern African country.
According to the statement, the government is already responding to the calamity and is pleading for national and international relief assistance for the impacted families.
According to the Red Cross, more than 60 bodies were discovered during the day in southern Malawi where torrential rains caused flooding. There are still more persons missing.
At least 36 bodies were found in the municipality of Chilobwe, “which has been hit the heaviest,” according to regional police spokeswoman Beatrice Mikuwa.
Dozens of homes were also destroyed.
Freddy, which is on pace to set a record for the longest storm duration, returned to southern Africa over the weekend after initially making landfall there in late February.
