DODMA Worried with Increasing Lightning Caused Deaths

Joseph believes the items will help ACPCs in executing their tasks effectively Joseph believes the items will help ACPCs in executing their tasks effectively - pic by Hastings Jimani

The Department of Disaster and Management Affairs (DODMA) has expressed worry with increasing number of lightning caused deaths as death toll due reaches 42 out of the 48 disaster related deaths this rainy season alone.

DODMA Communications Officer, Chipiliro Khamula, said the figure is quite alarming as the whole rainy season last year the country had recorded 22 lightning caused deaths.

“So far, 22, 712 households have been affected by disasters such as heavy rains, strong winds and flush floods and we as department together with other partners we have already reached to 20, 891 families with assorted relief items,” said Khamula.

Meanwhile, European Union funded ECHO-COVID-19 Project has started distributing non-food items such as pushbikes, torches, whistles, reflectors and face masks to Area Civil Protection Committees in Mulanje.

ECHO-COVID-19 Project Manager, Chimwemwe Gremu, said the project has three components namely; Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), health, COVID-19 and general disaster.

“We have come up with this support following a study we conducted last year which established that local civil protection structures (ACPCs and VCPCs) lack basic equipment for their job,” said Gremu.

Relief and Rehabilitation Officer at Mulanje District Council, Maria Joseph, believes the items will help ACPCs in executing their tasks effectively.

“Sometimes it takes long for ACPCs and VCPCs to report to our office when disasters hit their areas understandably due to lack of resources and we hope the items they are receiving from ECHO-COVID-19 Project through Care Malawi International will ease that challenge,” said Joseph

ECHO-COVID-19 Project is implemented in Mulanje by Care Malawi International.

Read 3372 times
Login to post comments
Go to top
JSN Time 2 is designed by JoomlaShine.com | powered by JSN Sun Framework