Cyclone Freddy, one of the strongest cyclones on record, swept through Mozambique and into Southern Malawi on the weekend of 12 March 2023.
Hundreds of people lost their lives in mudslides and floods, particularly in the overcrowded hillside townships of Blantyre.
Thanks to your generosity, SALT is working to to bring emergency food rations and other relief to hundreds of needy people in our immediate vicinity and several evacuation camps in the surrounding area.
Read further about Cyclone Freddy and SALT’s response to this terrible natural disaster.
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Acute Food Insecurity
Food Insecurity has improved only marginally after Cyclone Freddy. Many areas, especially in the Southern Region, remain in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and remaining official maize reserves are only enough to feed 200,000 households for 1 month, according to official estimates.
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Rebuilding Hope: Update on Cyclone Freddy Relief Efforts in Malawi
In March, Cyclone Freddy wreaked havoc in Malawi, causing immense destruction and loss of life. With a total death toll of over 1000 and over 1,000,000 people displaced, the impact of the disaster was heart-wrenching. The storm destroyed thousands of hectares of mature maize, leaving communities vulnerable to hunger and economic challenges. In the face…
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Pray: Hundreds of Thousands continuing to experience extreme hardship
Please pray for the hundreds of thousands of Malawians who continue to experience extreme hardship as a result of the Cyclone Freddy. According to the latest reports, around 659,000 of the 2,267,000 people affected are still living in 767 evacuation camps. Over 500 people are still missing. Women and children are particularly vulnerable to sexualRead…
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The effects of Cyclone Freddy
I’m writing this on my return flight from Blantyre, Malawi at the end of my unplanned visit to assess the effects of Cyclone Freddy. It’s been a short trip on account of the fact that my son, Philip is getting married next week. Over the years, I missed many family birthdays and anniversaries, but IRead…
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Sharing relief and the Gospel among survivors of Tropical Cyclone Freddy
Tropical Cyclone Freddy claimed the lives of thousands, while hundreds of thousands more have been displaced by the flood and mudslides. SALT is working to relieve need and share the Gospel among a few of them in the Zomba and Chiradzulu districts. We shot this video during our visit to Lisao Camp, approximately 10 daysRead…
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Cyclone Freddy: Incident Response Plan
It’s now two weeks since Cyclone Freddy began to wreak havoc across Southern Malawi. We have been trying to come up with an appropriate incident response plan. The body count continues to rise. However, it is doubtful if we will ever know the true number of people who perished. Many were washed away by flash-floodsRead…
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Pray: We need sunshine
Cyclone Freddy is reckoned to be one of the strongest and longest tropical storms on record. People in Blantyre recount how the cyclone settled over the city, dumping torrential rain, non-stop for three days. Seasonal rain, sometimes heavy, has continued on and off for the last week or more since the cyclone passed, complicating theRead…
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Lisao Emergency
The temporary camp at Lisao is home to 433 displaced survivors of the devastating mudslides and floods that swept so many to their death. The partially decomposed body of one sister in the Lord was buried where she was found, some 15 Km from her home. The camp has been mostly cut off and hasRead…
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Pray: Rescue and Recovery mission following cyclone
Please pray for the ongoing rescue and recovery mission following the cyclone last weekend. Malawi’s emergency services have very limited capacity, but several international teams are converging on Blantyre to assist with the search. Malawi was already suffering from its worst ever cholera outbreak prior to the cyclone, and the flooding will make this problemRead…