LILONGWE, Malawi: -In the last fortnight, Malawi and Mozambique have been at the receiving end of Tropical Cyclone Bansi, which exacerbated seasonal rains in the two countries. In Malawi, 176 people are confirmed dead, 174 114(22 000 households) are displaced and 150 are still missing in Nsanje, according to the office of the Vice President.
The disaster has affected 15 districts. As a result of the previous persistent rains, rivers burst their banks, houses and entire villages were swept away and large chunks of land are still submerged, some in under three metres of water.
According to the Department of Disaster Management Affairs a total of 27, 000 household, representing approximately 135, 000 people have been affected. The number of people who have died as of yesterday is still 176.
The most affected districts are Nsanje, Chikwawa and Phalombe. The floods that have hit the country have exacted a heavy toll on the country’s education as hundreds of thousands of children are unable to attend classes either because their schools are being used as camps for those affected by the floods or they have been destroyed. In Phalombe alone, for example, over 50,000 pupils are failing to go to school because their 39 schools have been turned as camps for flood victims, the District Education Office has confirmed.
Civil Society organizations Commend government for quickly acknowledging the grave situation caused by the floods in a number of districts in the country and declare a national disaster. This has not only raised the awareness about the crisis but also triggered the response from the donors and international community to come in and offer support.
We would like to pledge our support to government efforts already being done to alleviate the suffering that most rural communities are going through as a result of the floods. We acknowledge the support that most NGOs have already started providing to the affected communities and also the international appeal for support that most NGOs have done.
Civil Society notes that, the scale of the damage prompted the President to declare a State of Disaster and appeal for local and international assistance to the situation. President Peter Mutharika declared the flood situation in Malawi as a National Disaster on 13th January 2015. Roughly, half of Malawi – 15 out of 28 districts – has been hit by floods, with several people in each of the 15 districts losing a lot, some have lost everything they owned – including crops, animals, houses and other assets. Government and aid relief workers, the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) and other stakeholders have over-concentrated their efforts in the Shire Valley districts of Chikwawa and Nsanje at the expense of some districts that are equally desperate for help.
Areas like Zomba Chilwa- comprising Chisi Island, Chisoni, Ngotangota and Somba areas (24,000 households trapped here). Several other districts need attention. We hope the Dodma is currently making appropriate preparations for the Central and Northern regions where metrological experts say may be hit severely by heavy rains that could be devastating as the Shire valley impact. It’s important that relevant authorities make productive use of such early warning to more people from low-lying areas to higher grounds.
Relief items such as tents, food, water and medical equipment should be placed at strategic areas for rapid response.
Latest weather forecast shows that rains will subside in the Southern Region, but will continue to be heavy in the North and Centre, triggering more floods and worsening the situation in already affected areas while opening the country to more destitute problems for citizens.
Government says it needs K5 billion to provide relief and rehabilitation to those affected by the disaster. The office of the Vice President said on Sunday that deployment of Malawi Defence Force (MDF) helicopters and boats has boosted the search and rescue operations with helicopters alone so far rescuing 307 people while 1264 have been evacuated using boats.
