Source: Tsvangirai pleads for more floods aid – DailyNews Live
STAFF WRITER 7 March 2017
HARARE – MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday appealed for more
assistance from Zimbabweans in providing emergency relief to people
affected by the country’s worst floods in decades.
Government is struggling to raise needed funds to aid flood-affected
regions after a disappointing response from the international community to
its $100 million emergency appeal.
Concerns are growing about the health and welfare of those affected.
“This is a predicament that can befall any of our communities and we must
all assist
our fellow citizens who have been trapped into this situation through no
fault of their own,” he said.
“I urge civic organisations and the international community to assist our
citizens mired in
this very dire crisis. I and the party I lead are taking this situation
seriously and we will do all we can to mobilise assistance for our fellow
citizens.”
The former premier said statistics make for sad reading that speaks to a
national catastrophe.
The floods, government says, have claimed 246 lives, 855 marooned
villagers have been airlifted while among those rescued were 86
terminally-ill people and 501 school-going children.
Few dollars of local and international assistance have been pledged since
government appealed for international assistance last week to help provide
food, temporary shelter and clothing for more than 1 500 people affected
by widespread flooding following weeks of heavy rains.
The floods have been declared a national disaster.
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