Malawi on high flood alert as heavy rainfall is forecast

Blantyre, Malawi, Jan. 28 (MaraviPost) _ Malawi, over half of its land surface is currently reeling under unprecedented flooding, is on high alert with weathermen forecasting heavy rains and storms ‘in the coming few days’, especially in the flood-prone Southern Region.

Elina Kululanga, head of public weather services in the Department of Climate Change and Weather Services, said in a media statement Wednesday this will be a ‘wet week’ nationwide but a storm will hit the flood-prone Southern Region.

“This means there will be heavy rains in the Southern Region accompanied by heavy winds and thunderstorms,” she said.

Kululanga said the heavy rains in most parts of the Southern Region will culminate into heavy flooding in the flood-prone southern Lower Shire Valley bordering Mozambique, also devastated by heavy flooding.

“This will worsen the flood situation,” she warned.

Vice President Saulos Chilima, whose office is coordinating the relief, rescue and recovery efforts, said Malawi is on high ‘flood alert’ in the wake of the new warning.

“Malawi Army helicopters, with the kind assistance of two more from the Republic of South Africa, are on high alert to respond promptly in case of new flooding and displacements,” he said.

At least 176 people have already been confirmed dead in the wake of the flooding with at least 160 more still unaccounted for, according to Chilima. Over
200,000 people have been displaced.

Meanwhile, President Peter Mutharika – who toured the flooded Lower Shire Valley at the weekend – said Malawi needs at least US $81m to mitigate in the aftermath of the floods, including relief efforts, rehabilitation and resettlement. He said several Western donor countries like the United States, Great
Britain, Norway and Germany and multilateral agencies like the United Nations and NGO like Save the Children, World Vision International, and Plan International have reacted by donating money or relief items like food stuffs, tents and water purifiers.

But, according to Mutharika – who declared 15 of the country’s 28 districts, there is still a shortfall of US $67m.

The overall strategic objectives of the response plan are to ensure that affected households receive timely assistance,” Mutharika said in an address on
National radio and television Wednesday.

The flooding situation has heavy affected education with 234 schools damaged countrywide. At least 181 more schools are being used as temporary refuge Camps. According to the Department of Disaster Management Affairs and the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination, at least 200,000 pupils are not attending classes following the flooding.-MaraviPost