Red Cross, Politicians Respond To Victims of Thunderstorm At Kauma as Bisnowaty Appeals for More Help
Various
institution and groups of people are now responding with relief items to families
whose houses were damaged by thunderstorm that hit in some parts of Lilongwe on
Friday night of 2nd January.
On
Monday at Kauma in the capital city Lilongwe, Red Cross brought to the victims 200
tarpaulin’s, former Member of Parliament for Kasungu Central Constituency Ken
Kandodo brought some food items and household materials, and also of Department
of Disaster Management distributed some plastic sheets.
In
the same day, Leader of Opposition and president for Malawi Congress Party
(MCP) Dr. Lazarus Chakwera also visited Kauma area to appreciate the magnitude of
the damage made by the storm “I came here to see for myself and encourage
people. I felt greatly touched, shocked at the same time, but am thankful that
the resilience of the people and those that have come out to help will add on
to softening the devastations effect”
Ken
Kandodo while urging others to assist victims in the area as well as other
areas that have been affected by the storm said “I came here with these items
just to try to alleviate some of the problems that these people are going
through at the moment”
But,
Member of Parliament for the area Lilongwe City Centre honorable David Bisnowaty
said he is overwhelmed that people are now coming in to his constituency to
assist following his appeal made hours after the incident happened.
“Am
now happy that we are now taking some very serious actions following this
incident” he said while thanking Kandodo for his gesture.
He
added that earlier in the day he has had some discussions with City Council on
how the city can quicken its response to such natural disasters. He also
mentioned that the meeting also looked at other measures like planting of trees
in the city and setting house standards to prevent future occurrence of similar
disaster as most affected houses seem to be those that were not of up to
standards.
He
further appealed to all well wishers and international community like United
Nations to come and help the victims with tents, clothes and food as items most
needed at the moment.
Baxter
Simoko one of the victims said he is more grateful that he has received
tarpaulin and some household items. Like hon. Bisnowaty Simoko also asked for
more help like big tents that can accommodate his family of three children and
have privacy where children and parents can have their separate rooms.
“My
house was completely destroyed I’m now living in a school block meant for Early
Childhood Development classes.” He said, “We are sharing the block with other
five families we just demarcated the class using some bamboos.”
“Am
not sure if am building a house this year,” he added, “if I do then it will be
a very small one because I don’t have anything now, everything was destroyed, and
clothes that you are seeing me putting on was given by a friend”
The
estimated number of victims of Friday night thunderstorm is at 392 families
according to list of names of victims collected by Hon. Bisnowaty.
