12 feared dead in Mzuzu floods terror: Council lambasted for casting blind eye
About 12 people are reportedly dead in the northern region city of Mzuzu trapped by floodwater following heavy rains but the Mzuzu City Council (MCC) is graveyard silent, a development that has brought about fury among the populace and rights activist.
The rains, according to records, are the worst since the 2007-2008 season. In four days alone, the records indicate that about 2 145 mm of rainfall has been received.
A mother and daughter died in the wee hours of Friday in the sub-urban location of Hill Top. Four more people are reported dead in that location alone.
Six more are feared dead in the location of Chibavi. Other prone areas such as Ching’ambo are under siege with hundreds of people feared to go destitute.
In Chibavi alone, 85 houses have collapsed according to Gabriel Mwaungulu, the ward’s councillor.
Activist Peter Mumba blamed MCC’s department of disaster and the Malawi Red Cross in the city for not taking the issue at hand “seriously,” saying it was “unfortunate that while people were dying government was silent on the matter.”
According to our findings, MCC intends to hold a meeting on the same tomorrow [Saturday].
But Mumba said “it was foolhardy.”
He said: “People have died. People are suffering and they want to meet tomorrow? Are they serious?”
Mumba also asked well-wishers to donate such basic things as plastic plates, plastic papers or tents for cover and food.
“People of goodwill must come in and earnestly help for this cause. Neighbours who are also better off must also try to accommodate their colleagues,” implored Mumba.
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It’s the time for development can we please have the committee’s of VCPC village civil protection committees please that involves the following : 1. 1 local leader representative. 2. 1 religious representative. 3. 1 community development assistant. 4. 1 Muslim representative. 5. 1 women groups representative. 6. 1 water and development assistant. 7. 1 business representative. 8. 1 physical and disabled representative. 9. 1 youth representative. 10. 1 ADC representative. 11. 1 VDC representative. 12. 1 school committee representative. 13. 1 NGOs representative. The committee should be well structured and organised with the following : 1. strategy managing plan. 2.… Read more »
It’s sad we are hearing nothing from the govt. and the department of disaster and…..The rains that have fallen in Mzuzu were extraordinarily high that even some good houses in high lands have been affected . Let’s help the affected people without prejudice. A lot of people who are talking rubbish and insults have nothing to offer in terms of assistance even in prayers. Please! Please! Mine is an appeal let’s help out these people with whatever little we have. The situation is very pathetic in some areas.
Funny enough that when government and other NGOs were appealing to people from chikwawa and Nsanje to move, others were up in arms calling them fools and they were named different kinds of words like,, they want to be receiving free things every year and it was as if the problem was for the Lower shire people only. This is a wake up call for all of us and let us stop taking other peoples’ problems lightly. Tomorrow, it will be you in Mzuzu, then Karonga, before it goes to other areas.
nyengo yakuumaliro wa chalu cha winampoto
The reporter seems is living in heaven. If he was in Mzuzu He could not have written this negative story. MCC officilas were all over the townships visiting the disaster striken areas. For your own information, The Mayor, Deputy Mayor, CEO and four councillors visited Masasa to appreciate the situation. They even attended burial ceremony of three family members. The saturday meeting he is talking about is to review friday’s actions and thereafter distribute a few relief items that were already solicited in anticipation of the disaster.
To those who are blaming suffered people for settling in these areas you are totally blind you dosnt know what you say. Trouble is not only death one you will prove this.
wanthu wavwalirepo mphiyi(people shd learn a lesson) time out for people to build in wetlands, u destroy nature it pays back, vula mehlo(chenjela)
The City council has a big problem. Four years ago geological survey and Germany experts came to Mzuzu and mapped the city’s disaster risky areas but up to now we don’t know where the report is. It is rumoured the report and maps were submitted to City assembly with recommendations but no implementation has been made. Malipoti kungokhalira mmaofesi mapeto ake ndi zimenezo. No wonder a city mulibe chonena.
People in Mzuzu build houses in natural waterways. This is no surprise
at all. They should vacate those places and buy land in areas not classified as disaster prone. Mungoti Boma this Boma that. Ngati month ukumanga nyumba yako pa njira ya madzi, ukufuna bomb litani????????? Vacate the area.
It’s unfortunate that nothing has been done so far despite cries from people concerning the heavy continuos rains in the northern region. Now we have lost some lives. They were sons, daughters and mothers to someone.