Hailstorm victims ask govt for relocation before cyclone Kenneth hits

Hailstorm victims in Rumphi have asked the government to relocate them before cyclone Kenneth makes its landing this Friday.

Sub T/A Chapinduka of Tchalo made the request when government officials visited the victims and the area in Mlowe area where three people died, five are missing and nine got injured with many more displaced.

“We fear that when cyclone Kenneth makes its landing, we will be here again. This is why we are asking the government if we can be relocated elsewhere until the cyclone is gone,” said the chief.

Minister of Homeland Security Nicholas Dausi said disaster response officials are on the ground telling people to move upland in view of the impending cyclone which is expected to bring with it heavy rains and flooding.

Hastings Kachale, director of disaster response said the department is distributing tents to the people so that they can relocate before the cyclone hits.

Weather experts at the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services are warning of a tropical cyclone which is expected to bring heavy rains in the lakeshore areas.

A statement by Jolam Nkhokwe, director of Climate Change and Meteorological Services says this is as a result of deep low pressure system developed in the Indian Ocean.

He says a deep low pressure system with atmosphere pressure value of 1008 millibars has developed in the Indian Ocean north of Madagascar at latitude 9.4 degrees south and 50.3 degrees east at a distance of 1874km east of Nkhata Bay boma and moving west-south-westwards.