Misery for Lilongwe with floods: Malawi army helicopter rescues children

A military rescue helicopter on Friday morning spent hours around Mtandire and Mtsiridza areas in Lilongwe to rescue children who were stuck no where after heavy flooding when Lingadzi river burst its banks.

For hours, residents of Area 49 New Shire watched helplessly as two brothers aged 12 and 8 remained stuck in the middle of the floods.

Army officials, Police, Lilongwe City Council, Officials from Department of Disaster Preparedness convened an impromptu site meeting to ferry the kids to safety.

A chopper was called in. Minutes passed. “Noone should shout. We need to keep the kids calm,” an army officer was heard advising the crowd that swelled in hundreds.

Three volunteers jumped into the water, one missed the safety spot and was washed away.

Two docked on a small island where the boys were holding on to maize stalks. The crowd cheered!

Minutes later the Presidential chopper was seen from miles away. It came near, made two trips to lift the brothers, alive to safety.

Nyasa Times could not immediately establish their names.

Their parents were whisked away hours earlier preventing them from seeing the shocking incident.

Lilongwe City Council officials could not immediately indicate the extent of damages.

But indicated that Nankhaka river which cuts through Area 30, Area 18 and parts of Area 49 Gulliver had also cause severe damages to households.

No death was immediately reported but some witnesses said one man was missing.

This is the worst flooding in the capital city since the onset of the rains this year.

 

The flooding waters have also washed away a bridge between Area 18 and Area 49, making the road impassable.

This is the first time that a military rescue helicopter has been used in such rescue operation.

Malawi, including the capital, is receiving heavy rains this year and the office of Disaster Management say 14 people have died due to the heavy rains which has affected 14000 others who are in need of relief items including food. The flooding in Mtandire and Mtsiridza submerged vehicles, shops and other items as car roofs only could be seen.

Many routes in the country are currently flooded and travel is very challenging.

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