Death toll from cyclone in Malawi may hit 1,000

Lilongwe (Malawi): The death toll from Tropical Cyclone Freddy in Malawi is likely to reach 1,000 as more bodies are being recovered and many still reported missing, according to the country’s Department of Disaster Management Affairs.

As of Tuesday evening, the cumulative number of recovered bodies reached 507 from 499 as reported on Monday, with the number of missing persons rising from 427 to 537 and the number of the injured remaining at 1,332.

The number of displaced people has increased from 5,08,244 to 5,53,614, and nine more camps were set up to accommodate them, bringing the total camps to 543, Xinhua news agency reported.

Search and rescue operations continued as the Malawi Defence Force and the Malawi Police Service teamed up with the British, Zambian and Tanzanian experts across the affected areas.

More humanitarian aid and support were pouring in from neighbouring countries, the United Nations, and other international and local organisations as well as individuals, said local authorities.

–IANS

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