Malawi — Cyclone Freddy – Multi-sectoral Location Assessment Site Profile – Round 1 (31 March – 27 April 2023)

This report details the site profiles as determined by Multi-Sectoral Location Assessments (MSLA). A summary overview can be accessed here.

Cyclone Freddy made landfall in Malawi’s Southern Region on 12 March 2023, bringing torrential rainfall, and causing devasting floods and mudslides in Southern Malawi. Assessments are still ongoing, led by the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) but critical infrastructure (roads, houses and hospitals) have been damaged or destroyed. As of 20 March 2023, DoDMA estimates over 508,000 people have been displaced across Nsanje, Chikwawa, Phalombe, Mulanje, Blantyre, Thyolo, Chiradzulu, Blantyre City, Mangochi, Machinga and Balaka districts. An estimated 534 evacuation centers/Internally Displaced People (IDP) sites have been established with over 70 per cent of the IDPs being hosted in public buildings such as schools and churches. The Government of Malawi (GoM) announced a state of disaster in 14 districts on 13 March in response to the floods and landslides, and rescue teams were deployed to the affected areas to provide humanitarian assistance to those most affected. IOM deployed teams on 3 April to conduct a Multi-Sectoral Location Assessment (MSLA) at camp/collective sites level to assist the Government and partners with their response efforts. The first update of the report covers the 168 sites assessed from 31 March - 27 April and provides a snapshot of the current number of displaced households and persons residing in the worst affected three districts (Nsanje, Chikwawa and Blantyre). The assessments also provide an overview of the types of IDP sites, NFI needs, intentions, services provided and other key information.