Voice of America
18 Mar 2023, 23:35 GMT+10
Blantyre, Malawi - Malawi rescue teams started using sniffer dogs Friday to locate the bodies of people trapped under rubble left after Cyclone Freddy destroyed their houses. The Malawi government announced that Zambia has sent two aircraft to help with rescue efforts and more nations are pledging to do so.
Authorities in Malawi are still coming to terms with the scale of Cyclone Freddy's destruction.
Police spokesperson Peter Kalaya told VOA Friday about the challenges they face locating the remains of people trapped under muddy rubble, which is why sniffer dogs are an asset.
"Most of the dead bodies are under rubble and it is becoming difficult to find out where the bodies are. So, today we engaged these dogs from this morning,' Kalaya said.
Early this week, Malawi search and rescue teams - comprised of police, the Red Cross and the military - were deployed to rescue people trapped in trees and rooftops by the cyclone.
Lameck Kalenga is deputy chief of military operations in Malawi.
He told a news conference Thursday that the military team also faced significant challenges.
"Our boat capsized, and we had all occupants in that boat submerged in water,' Kalenga said. 'They managed to swim, others to the shore but others ... they swam on and held on to trees that were surrounded by water. So, we had like three officers who were surrounded by water, but by yesterday [Wednesday] all of them were rescued."
Authorities in Malawi say there are still many areas that cannot be accessed by either vehicles or boats.
However, the Zambian government Friday sent two aircraft to help the search and rescue team in Malawi access those hard-to-reach areas.
"One of these aircrafts is a relief aid aircraft, which is bringing relief aid to Malawi,' Kalenga said. 'And the other one is [an] MI8 helicopter, which will be used to gain access in those inaccessible areas. Mainly Mulanje, Phalombe and Nsanje."
The Department of Disaster Preparedness in Malawi said search and rescue teams from South Africa, Switzerland, the United States and the United Kingdom are expected to arrive soon.
In the meantime, Mozambique has also pledged to assist Malawi with an aircraft.
Get a daily dose of Africa Leader news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Africa Leader.
More InformationEVERGLADES, Florida: Over the weekend, a diverse coalition of environmental activists, Native American leaders, and residents gathered...
BEIJING, China: China's national soccer team may struggle to stir excitement, but its humanoid robots are drawing cheers — and not...
]LONDON, U.K.: A World Health Organization (WHO) expert group investigating the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic released its final...
DOVER, Delaware: California Governor Gavin Newsom has taken legal aim at Fox News, accusing the network of deliberately distorting...
FRANKFURT, Germany: Germany has become the latest country to challenge Chinese AI firm DeepSeek over its data practices, as pressure...
TORONTO, Canada: Harvard University and the University of Toronto have created a backup plan to ensure Harvard graduate students continue...
NEW YORK, New York - Global stock indices closed with divergent performances on Tuesday, as investors weighed corporate earnings, central...
TORONTO, Canada: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced late on June 29 that trade negotiations with the U.S. have recommenced...
Vancouver, Canada: A high-stakes legal showdown is brewing in the world of athleisure. Lululemon, the Canadian brand known for its...
LONDON, U.K.: British oil giant Shell has denied reports that it is in talks to acquire rival oil company BP. The Wall Street Journal...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stock markets closed firmly in positive territory to start the week Monday, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: On Friday, President Donald Trump announced that he was halting trade discussions with Canada due to its decision...