* The dead being an eight-year-old girl, a 55-year-old man and a woman whose age has not been established
* The most affected villages include Group Village Heads Malemia, Mphamba, Nkhwangwa, Mchenga, Nsomo and Chabuka
Maravi Express & MANA
Three people are reported dead due to effects of flash floods that happened in Chikwawa where 1,683 households have been affected, says a report by Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA).
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Quoting a report from Chikwawa District Council, the flash floods affected communities of Traditional Authorities Ngabu and Lundu and the dead being an eight-year-old girl, a 55-year-old man and a woman whose age has not been established.
Malawi News Agency (MANA) quoted disaster risk management officer for Chikwawa, Charity Machika as saying the most affected villages include Group Village Heads Malemia, Mphamba, Nkhwangwa, Mchenga, Nsomo and Chabuka.
Other affected villages are Chabuka 1 & 2, Moses, Sandiiwale, Jimu, Pinakuwa and Nsona from the rains began on Thursday, resulting in two fatalities and two injuries.
Machika noted that the Nyakamba Bridge in the area of T/A Ngabu has been damaged, restricting road users to one lane: “Based on the assessment conducted, urgent humanitarian needs include shelter in form of tents, sleeping mats and blankets.”
DoDMA also reports that others are affected are Nkhotakota, Mangochi, Nkhata Bay and Rumphi District Councils, saying the rising water levels in Lake Malawi has displaced over 500 and 119 households Nkhotakota and Mangochi, respectively.
“Preliminary reports from Nkhata Bay and Rumphi District Councils have highlighted that flash floods have affected areas in T/As Malanda and Mwalweni and the two councils are conducting assessments to establish the extent of damage.
“The department has already made arrangements for the provision of relief assistance in affected areas.”
A report by MANA says heavy rains that started in the wee hours of Friday caused flash floods at Chintheche in Nkhata Bay, disrupting businesses and health service delivery at Chintheche Rural Hospital.
Senior health promotion officer for Nkhata Bay District Health Office, Christopher Singini, told MANA that service delivery was affected at Chintheche Rural Hospital as water had gushed the facility’s wards.
Singini said flood waters found their way into the wards due to blockage of a drain on the upper side of the facility, adding: “Equipment has not been damaged — however there are fears of disease infections due to contaminated water that gushed the hospital wards.”
Senior Chief Malanda said the flash floods had rendered some families in the area homeless and feared for the worst as the downpour was continuing at the time of the interview.
He said businesses were also seriously affected, including at the only filling station in the area, where operations were brought to a halt because water had flooded its premises and more damage will likely follow because water levels in most rivers are very high.
Councilor for Chintheche Ward, Spencer Khuni, told MANA that there was need for urgent help to the families whose houses were damaged while disaster risk management officer for Nkhata Bay, Rachel Kamanga said her office was aware of the situation and they were working hand in hand with local leaders to come up with final assessment report and map way forward.
Meanwhile, DODMA also reported that the Department of Water Resources has issued a warning on flooding in North Rukuru, South Rukuru, Hara, Nyungwe, Wovwe, Songwe, Kyungu, Lufilya, Limphasa, Nkhula, Lipimbi, Dwambazi, Dwangwa, Bua, Luweya, Kajilirwe, Kakwewa, Kalungulu, Kalwe, Luchelemu, Linthipe, Lingadzi, Lifidzi and Nadzipuru Rivers.
“The department is, therefore, calling upon Councils to ensure that communities at risk have moved to higher and safer areas as a matter of urgency.—Reporting from Chikwawa for MANA by Leah Malimbasa and from Chintheche by Chisomo Kambandanga
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