62 die due to heavy rains in Malawi
Officials from Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) say 62′ people have now died due to heavy rains in this rainy season.
These include four people have died this weekend in the southern region.
Four others are missing following heavy rains which fell in some parts of the southern region on Saturday and Sunday.
According to Dodma, three women who were among five, have died while two are still missing after they tried to cross a flooded river in Chiradzulu.
In a statement that signed by Commissioner for Disasters, Charles Kalemba, the department says the recent figures have pushed the death toll to 62 from 57, whereas the number of injuries is now at 185 from 176 since the onset of the rainy season.
The heavy rains have also caused damage to roads, bridges, schools and hospitals.
In Blantyre, the floods which occured in Machinjiri have claimed one life while two other people are missing.
DoDMA says in itslatest situation report that the deceased is a man between the age of 17 and 20 and the missing two, are also both of the same age group.
Two children who were feared dead after being trapped by the raging flood waters in Traditional Authority Lundu, have been rescued by a search and rescue team.
So far 37 households from Mapanga and South Lunzu wards have been affected by the floods.
Meanwhile, DoDMA Commissioner Charles Kalemba has given assurance that all affected families and people will be reached with relief aid in accordance with reports from the council.
The two were swept away on Sunday following a heavy downpour experienced in Blantyre and surrounding areas.
Meanwhile, Minister of Information and Digitalisation Moses Kunkuyu visited the area to appreciate the situation.
Kunkuyu said the government is assessing the damage and appropriate assistance will be rendered to the affected families once the assessment is complete.
Residents in Blantyre’s Machinjiri Township are now using a bypass road running through Mbwanda in Area 2 to Chikapa in Area 7.
The floods caused by heavy rain displaced some residents and cut off the main road at Area 10 that connects Chikapa and a larger part of the Township.
Some residents are however threatening to close the 3 kilometer stretch arguing the Blantyre City Council has not been supportive in fixing the route despite various calls on the same for over 10 years.
One of the concerned residents Barnabas Komakoma wants the authorities to also priotise bypass and feeder roads in the city to avoid a repeat of what has happened in their area.
This morning, BCC officials visited the affected area to see how best the situation can be fixed with urgency.
