ShelterBox working in difficult flood regions
The Club actively supports ShelterBox
| In this latest video from ShelterBox response volunteer Liz Odell explains what they've been up against in trying to get aid to communities in desperate need in Zomba in Southern Malawi in response to flooding chaos. |
In the worst floods for over forty years in the area tens of thousands fled their homes and an estimated 170 died as a month's worth of rain fell in 24 hours. South East Africa, which usually depends on the December to April rainy season for agriculture and to fill reservoirs, was hit by a cyclonic deluge and as you'll see in the video heavy rains continue. Malawi and Mozambique share river systems, and both have experienced devastating floods, with roads, bridges, buildings and power lines all washed away. The President of Malawi, Peter Mutharika, declared a third of the country a disaster zone in January, and appealed for urgent foreign aid. The Licungo and Zambezi rivers were flowing so rapidly that initially it was impossible to reach many displaced communities, even by boat. Helicopters were deployed, but continuing bad weather frustrated attempts to help families trapped without shelter or possessions. Response teams from ShelterBox have been working in shifts in tough weather and challenging landscapes to get aid to stranded communities.