By Innocent Kalikokha:
Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) Director of Preparedness and Response Moses Chimphepo has said the country has put in place all tools that may enable it to respond to natural disasters during the rainy season.
He said this in Nsanje District, where the Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) commissioned four boats worth K108 million.
The boats will be used for rescue operations by Nsanje and Chikwawa district councils, which are among those that are prone to disasters such as floods.
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“We are ensuring that we have all the equipment needed for, for example, search and rescue missions. When Cyclone Freddy hit, we noted that we had some shortfalls, in terms of equipment that could have been used to rescue people. We are happy that we have been working on that issue,” Chimphepo said.
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MRCS President Innocent Majiya said they have presented the boats to the councils to enable them to respond to natural disasters should there be such an eventuality.
“We are, therefore, optimistic that the boats will serve a great purpose during search and rescue missions.
“We, as Malawi Red Cross Society, are a co-lead partner in the Search and Rescue Operations Cluster and, as such, we are here to complement search and rescue efforts,” Majiya said.
Meanwhile, Nsanje District Director of Planning and Development Smith Mnenula has described the support as timely.
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“Let me assure the Malawi Red Cross Society and Dodma that the boats will be used for its intended purpose,” he said.
The boats, two of which are for Chikwawa District, have been purchased with monetary support from the Malawi Government and the Danish Red Cross.
