Heavy rains have destroyed some houses in Traditional Authority Chikweo’s area in Machinga district, but the number of affected families is yet to be established as authorities are still assessing the situation.
Similar incident happened in Mzimba where stormy weather equally destroyed some houses, affecting several households.
The Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services’ forecast for 2016/17 rainfall season shows that there will be generally normal to above normal total rainfall amounts over greater part of the country by the end of the season.
However, the Department warned that while many areas of the country will experience good rainfall, flooding and dry spells are likely to occur in some areas during the 2016-2017 season.
According to the Department, during this period, the main rain bearing systems that influence rainfall over Malawi include the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), Congo air mass, Easterly Waves and Tropical Cyclones.
“During October to December 2016, the greater part of southern half of the country is expected to have normal to above normal rainfall amounts while the greater part of northern half will have normal to below normal.
“During the period January to March 2017, the greater part of the country is expected to experience normal to above normal rainfall amounts. Overall, the greater part of the country is going to experience normal to above normal rainfall amounts during October 2016 to March 2017.
“It should be noted that the forecast is relevant for relatively large areas and seasonal time scales and therefore may not fully account for all factors that influence localized climate variability, such as daily, weekly and month to month variations,”said the Department recently in a statement.
This forecast also takes into consideration the fact that tropical cyclones that develop in the South-west Indian Ocean and climate change can have either adverse or favourable effects on Malawi rainfall.
The Department therefore assured the nation to continuously issue seasonal updates, daily and five-day forecasts, ten-day rainfall and agro-meteorological bulletins as well as monitor and issue advices on the development and movement of the tropical cyclones during the 2016/2017 rainfall season.