DoDMA assures homeless survivors of Nkhotakota floods to be relocated to safe lands

*  Over 12,923 people have been affected in areas of Senior Chief Kanyenda, Mphonde, and T/A Malengachanzi, while four have died in Dwangwa

* As Malawi Red Cross Society pledges its continued support to affected people until they settle back into their communities

MANA & Maravi Express

Flash floods that occurred in Nkhotakota District that affected thousands of people, with some left homeless, exposed that most of the households were built in vulnerable areas.

Thus, the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) is preparing to allocate new land to people who have completely lost their homes in the district as their permanent place of residence are no longer suitable for settlement.

This assurance was made by DoDMA’s chief disaster preparedness officer, Natasha Mbengo on Sunday when Malawi Red Cross Society distributed non-food items to people who have been affected by the floods in the areas of Senior Chiefs, Kanyenda and Mphonde.

“Those that have been affected and do not have land to reconstruct, it is now the responsibility of the district council with support from DoDMA to find a location site to assist them,” Mbengo said.

Representing Nkhotakota District Commissioner, Siliro Magomero reported that over 12,923 people have been affected by floods in the areas of Senior Chief Kanyenda, Mphonde, and T/A Malengachanzi, while four have died in Dwangwa.

A preliminary report from DoDMA released on Thursday indicated that  about 7,000 people in Nkhotakota have been displaced and nine camps set in T/As Kanyenda and Mphonde areas.

Meanwhile, the Malawi Red Cross Society pledged its continued support to people who have been affected by the flash floods in Nkhotakota until they settle back into their communities.

Director of programmes & social development, Prisca Chisala said the organisation will continue supporting government in scaling up its disaster response after observing that the need for support to people affected by floods in the country is huge.

“When we heard reports from DoDMA that some districts have been affected by flash floods, including in Nkhotakota, we started mobilising non-food items to support the flood-affected population,” she said, adding that MRCS will continue to intensify mobilisation of resources and assessment of people’s needs to reach out and assist more affected communities.

Some of the non-food items that were distributed to the affected victims included kitchen sets, sleeping mats, tents, hygiene kits, liquid soap, and solar lamps valued at K125 million.

In the preliminary report, DoDMA said a national search and rescue (SAR) team led by the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) is working with communities in providing life-saving interventions and as of Thursday, over 900 people who were trapped in various areas, had been rescued.

The SAR team is also ferrying relief items,,which include maize flour and tents, earlier dispatched by DoDMA and medical personnel and supplies/equipment to areas that require urgent attention.

The persistent rains around Dwangwa also caused widespread damage to roads and further hindering essential service delivery.

As the authorities and traditional leaders appeal for assistance from wellwishers, DoDMA outlines some immediate needs that include food, clothing, shelter materials (family tents), blankets, dignity kits and WASH facilities — cups, pails, water treatment chemicals and mobile toilets.

In Karonga, a brief update by the District Council indicates that the persistent heavy rains had largely damaged rice fields in T/A Mwakawoko.

“As most parts of the Lakeshore areas continue experiencing high rainfalls, the Department reiterate calls for communities to move to safer and higher areas,” said DoDMA, while assuring the

public to be duly updated on damages caused by the floods and any related development.

Meanwhile, the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services calls upon the general public to take heed of all alert messages and tips provided by the Met Department — that they must always be taken seriously so that people should know what to plant, where and how to get settled before disaster hits.

Director Lucy Ntilatila said this on Thursday in Blantyre in an interview with Malawi News Agency (MANA) and further suggested that councils and other collaborating partners should not relax in disseminating weather information to ensure that people are well informed on abrupt changes in climatic conditions.

“It must start with individuals at the household level to abide by all the tips and messages regarding the frequency of these extreme events that, in most cases, pose a risk and threat to humans.

She also said people must  embrace the continued effects of climate change being experienced nationwide and she underscored the need for every citizen to embrace the fact that climate in general has changed, citing climatic conditions characterised by dry spells and late rains that result in floods that displace people, destroy crops and infrastructure.

Ntilatila highlights that “persistent rainfalls and drought conditions largely contribute to floods that wash away livestock, buildings and other infrastructure at any time of the day.

“There is, therefore, a need to closely monitor these tips, so that people are safe from any unforeseen hazards,” she said, adding that DCCMS is mandated to monitor and assess climatic conditions 24/7 (all day, every day) and disseminate weather information to ensure that the general populace is always kept abreast of the weather.

Mtilatila appealed for correct land use and correct settlement to avoid natural disasters, saying water shall always find its natural passage of flowing and any attempt to disturb the passage results in untold catastrophies, including human and property being washed away.

A Blantyre resident, Marko Kankhande, said weather information is part of early warning systems and should be regarded as important information in disaster preparedness and a basis that should allow farmers to plan.—Reporting for MANA by Innocent Chunga & Rodney Majawa