The Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DODMA) says it has put in place guidelines and plans and has resources worth K76 billion available to respond to possible disasters this year.
Commissioner for Disaster Management Affairs Charles Kalemba said this in Dedza during the 2022 commemoration of International day for Disaster Reduction (IDDR).
According to Kalemba, they already have strategies and plans and they will be able to respond when things happen and they have also set up a mechanism to reduce the impacts of disasters.
“We are currently drenching rivers in the lower shire and if funds are available, we will also do the same even in places like here in central region. We are drenching the rivers after observing that most of the flooding occur because the rivers do not have adequate water carriage way.
“We have also activated the clusters that normally help us. The food security cluster the search and rescue cluster, nutrition and others, So, those are now activated to be on the ground. We are also prepositioning both relief items and equipment for search and rescue.
“So we would say as a department in terms of the season coming, in terms of the emergency response, we are very ready but also in terms of food security. In November we will start providing food relief in terms of either cash or maize distribution,” said Kalemba.
Kalemba also disclosed that cash and other resources are available for disaster response ahead of the rainy season.
“The total resource requirements under the Food Security Cluster are estimated at MK76.27 billion out of which MK32.46 billion has been mobilized through: cash transfers; the Africa Risk Capacity drought insurance pay-out [USD14.2 million] and MK2 billion which will be sourced from the Unforeseen Circumstances Vote. The balance of MK43.81 billion will be covered through maize to be drawn from the Strategic Grain Reserve (SGR). So, in short, we have whatever we need and we don’t have a deficit as of now,” added Kalemba.
Speaking during the event, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Water and Sanitation Elias Chimulambe advised citizens in the districts likely to be hit by floods to take the warning guidelines set by the disaster management of affairs seriously in order to avoid putting their lives at risk.
“When the warnings are issued, most of those that the warnings are targeted at choose to take no action at all. Even those of us entrusted with the responsibility of saving lives, we tend to be more interested in getting allowances first than prioritizing saving lives of those at risk. The theme for this year is calling upon us to reflect on these issues, and ask ourselves very important questions on what each one of us is doing to ensure that we do not lose lives, we do not lose property and that we build the resilience of those at risk,” explained Chimulambe.
Director of Programmes at Malawi Red Cross Society Prisca Chisala said Red Cross and other development partners are ready to support the government financially and technically in disaster preparedness and to respond to the emergencies.
“Malawi Red Cross and other partners are looking at this year’s theme for the 2022 IDDR which is looking at calling everyone else to take part in early warning, early action and as Malawi Red Cross on behalf of other partners we would like to continue in supporting the Government in making a contribution towards Government National resilience strategy which mainly focuses on disaster risk reduction and it also emphasizes on strengthening early warning systems which is in line with the 2022 commemoration of IDDR,” explained Chisala.
This year’s IDDR was conducted under the theme ‘Early Warning and Early action for all’.
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