Fresh floods hit Malawi as UNICEF says 300,000 displaced

Malawi  has been hit by a fresh wave of flooding as the country is still not recovered from an earlier spate of devastating flood with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) saying more than 300,000 people have been displaced , almost twice as many as previously estimated.

Take cover: Deputy speaker of parliament and MP for Nsanje north Esther Mcehka Chilenje visit flooded area as UNICEF has launched an appeal for 9.3 million dollars to cover its emergency response to the affected areas for three months.-Photo by Jeromy Kadewere, Nyasa Times
Take cover: Deputy speaker of parliament and MP for Nsanje north Esther Mcehka Chilenje visit flooded area as UNICEF has launched an appeal for 9.3 million dollars to cover its emergency response to the affected areas for three months.-Photo by Jeromy Kadewere, Nyasa Times

Government officials confirmed that heavy rainfall has caused fresh flooding in Chikwawa and Nsanje in the southern region where deadly floods in January affected more than 1 million people, killed 276 and injured more than 600, according to new figures released by the U.N. Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) unit.

Alex Mdooko, commissioner of Chikwawa, a district in Malawi’s southern region,  said they authorities  are yet to assess the extent of the damage after heavy downpours over the past 24 hours.

“We have had two nights of rain and, so far, vast pieces of land are in water again,” he said, adding “The Shire River has taken in more water to overflow again.”

Meanwhile, Mahimbo Mdoe, UNICEF’s country representative in Malawi said  there is need to  “take stock of our response to ensure all children and families have access to emergency services and supplies.”

She said:”We are carefully monitoring how displaced children are faring, as we know after one month in crowded camps, disease outbreaks and increased malnutrition can occur.”

The floods have disrupted education for more than 300,000 students, as many schools have been occupied by displaced families.

UNICEF is supporting schools to reopen so that children in the camps and those in host communities can continue their education, said  Mdoe.

“To ensure schools can continue to house families, and function as schools, UNICEF has provided school tents and supplies to set up temporary learning spaces during daytime, and accommodation for families during the night.”

Malawi is one of the world’s poorest and most densely populated countries, and about 85 percent of its 17.5 million population are farmers living in rural areas.

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wangalusa
wangalusa
9 years ago

Iwe galu, God is not avenging for his people. Which people? Are you holier than those affected by the floods? Did Jesus Christ teach us to calebrate the suffering of others? He taught us even to love our enemies. The Lower Shire, Phalombe plain, Mangochi have always had floods even in time of Kamuzu and time before him. Do you know the topography of the areas most affected by the floods?

chie
chie
9 years ago

Galu ndi galu basi ndiwe mtundu wanji wa munthu! Mwanambwa iwe?

chie
chie
9 years ago

Galu ndi galu basis ndiwe mtundu wanji wa munthu! Mwanambwa iwe

Disaster Assessment Stakeholder
Disaster Assessment Stakeholder
9 years ago

300,000 displaced people are scattered across the affected areas and many schools in these areas are not operating as the displaced people are sheltering in the learning spaces (class rooms) so it is not the same number of pupils that are not attending to classes due to the flood. Many pupils (more than 300,000) are not learning and there is an urgent need to make sure that class rooms are cleared for learning by providing alternative shelter to the displaced e.g., tents. Hope it is clear to those who missed it.

Watela
Watela
9 years ago

Chilenje looks thrilled having taken a nice helcopter ride. The guard equally looks enjoying the feel of touching the deputy speakers arm close to breasts.

Mtonga
Mtonga
9 years ago

Pijo, you missed the point. The 300,000 displaced went to seek refuge in schools and so in turn displaced the same number of students. Don`t you get it? It`s a one for one replacement at school: 300,000 flood affected persons come in 300,000 students get displaced from school! The author hets 1 point in Maths and you get, uhm, well, 8.9! hahahaha

Galu
Galu
9 years ago

Donors should not come in here,God is punishing these sons and daughters of dogs for victimizing other tribes….LET THEM DIE,AND DIE AND DIE!W e are happy with their deaths.Even if the numbers were a million,we would be happy.Very happy…Mulungu amaona,sipachabe iziziyi…next is the death of their president,and we would be very very,I mean extremely happy.Once again,DONORS DONT COME HERE,WE HAVE A SITUATION WHERE GOD IS AVENGING FOR HIS PEOPLE.

zilipati?
zilipati?
9 years ago

Koma anthu omwe anagwira ntchito yopulumusa anthuwa sakuthandizika,makamaka a police akulipila ndalama zawo kulipila malo ogona….athandizeni apo ayi achoseniko chifukwa akuzuzika

Mphangala
Mphangala
9 years ago

So bad. God help us, Amen!

Fkajera
9 years ago

The floods are a disaster to our country and we have lost so many people in the event. Malawi must seriously adopt the ways of rainwater harvesting. If we built dams across many water ways leading into the shire river up-land, we would end up controlling the amount flowing uncontrollably into the Shire which results into floods. These dams could, at the same time, actualize the dreams of green belt being talked about as well as encourage our farmers to stop relying on rain to plant their crops. Government should try and look into this area and we will stop… Read more »

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