Aid flows to Malawi in its efforts to combat floods

Aid has kept flowing to Malawi as this African nation is battling devastating floods that left 180 people dead and 153 more missing, according to a source of the Malawian government.

Among organizations and countries that have responded floods in Malawi are the World Food Program (WFP), World Vision, Norwegian Churchaid, and Zambia, South Africa and Canada.

Updated report as of Tuesday showed that apart from the above- mentioned numbers for deaths and missing, 27,000 households, with 135,000 people impacted, had been displaced by the floods in the country.

The World Food Program (WFP), World Vision, Norwegian Churchaid have donated relief items such as tents, mosquito nets, food and water filters among other things.

On Tuesday, the UN organization airlifted into Malawi 77 metric tons of high energy biscuits from the UN Humanitarian Response Depot in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, to be distributed to 77, 000 people displaced by floods in the country's border districts of Chikhwawa and Nsanje.

According to WFP Public Communications Officer in Malawi, Fitina Khonje, the high energy biscuits to be distributed to the displaced people in two districts are enough to last for five days.

Khonje said the biscuits were a highly demanded commodity due to their high nutritional value and with the various on-going emergency food situations across the world. The distribution of biscuits in Nsanje and Chikhwawa would be accompanied by food rations of maize, maize meal, fortified vegetable oil and Super Cereal as soon as possible.

World Vision and Norwegian Churchaid also flew into the country tents, water filters, mosquito nets and dolls for children, according to Gift Mafuleka, Deputy Director for Department of Disaster Management Affairs.

Since Malawi President Peter Mutharika appealed for humanitarian aid on Jan. 13, WFP has been providing food items such as maize, beans, fortified vegetable oil, and Super Cereal to more than 70,000 people affected by the floods in the districts of Phalombe, Mulanje and Chikhwawa.

Countries including Zambia, South Africa and Canada have also supported Malawi flood victims with cash, blankets, tents and aircrafts for the ongoing rescue operations.

More tents are still required to meet the demand of the displaced people who have occupied over 180 class rooms, a development that has led to closure of schools altogether in the affected areas.

Other organizations such as the British Department for International Development, The Red Cross, UNFPA local banks and the private sector have also contributed cash and relief items to the flood victims.

According to WFP, a total of 33,500 metric tons of relief food at an estimated cost of 22 million U.S. dollars is needed to feed thousands of displaced people in Malawi. Endite