Germany pledges to support flood victims

By Sam Banda Jnr:

The government of Germany has announced that it will support flood victims in the Southern Region with items amounting to K41 million.

In a statement, the Embassy of Germany says Ambassador Jürgen Borsch will visit some of the victims to distribute relief items today through to Friday.

Borsch says it is important to bail out flood victims.

“I will distribute relief items and meet with citizens affected by the heavy rains and floods in the region as well as government officials. I am planning to visit the flood affected populations and locations in Chikwawa District in areas such as Mwalija Camp in Traditional Authority (T/A) Kasisi and Kapasule in Traditional Authority Katunga,” he says.

The statement further indicates that the government of Germany is making available an amount of over K41 million [about 50,000 euros] in addition to making contributions to international emergency and relief mechanisms.

The support is being implemented with immediate effect through Welthungerhilfe, one of the largest private aid organisations in Germany.

“This intervention will contribute to the prevention of water-borne diseases and ensure that affected people have access to safe and clean drinking water,” the statement reads.

With funds from the government of Germany, Welthungerhilfe is providing emergency relief services in Chikwawa with a focus on sanitation and food distribution.

Welthungerhilfe will focus on promoting access to clean water and distribution of supplies such as jerry cans, buckets and chlorination tablets.

The statement adds that the government of Germany is supporting emergency repairs and shock chlorination of contaminated wells in the area and that this support will contribute to the prevention of water-borne diseases and ensure that affected people have access to safe and clean water.

Welthungerhilfe has also responded with its own funding and has distributed 4.5 metric tonnes of maize flour to Njezera Camp in T/A Kasisi.

In the long run, the government of Germany, through the Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, will provide Welthungerhilfe with 1.64 million euros to support long-term resilience of smallholder farmers in Chikwawa District.

Department of Disaster Management Affairs says 56 people have died and 577 injured due to heavy rains and floods in the Southern Region.