Nsanje flood victims fear for sexual harassment: Men and women sleep in one tent  

Flood victims who are camping at Nyachikadza camp in the area of traditional authority Ndamera in Nsanje district are bemoaning lack of privacy as men and women are sleeping in same tents,  a situation they say is likely to put them at a risk of sexual harassment.

Camp Manager Paul Khembo  confirmed the development and said the situation is because of the insufficient tents as the camp has only 4 tents against 6,900 people.

He said several attempts to press the authorities for more tents have not been fruitful.

Assistant District disaster risk management officer Hamphrey Magalasi told a local radio that he was not aware of the development at Nyachikadza Camp but he said agreed that the district has inadequate tents.

“The few tents we are receiving are being given to those who are camping in schools so that they can move away from school blocks they are occupying to avoid disruption of learning in the schools,” said Magalasi.

However many organizations that are providing relief items to those in camps do not include the tents.

Although this year’s floods are record-breaking, it is likely that this will not be the last.

“We are talking about climate extremes and definitely we are going to see a lot more intense rainfall, more floods, more drought, especially in the parts of Africa where the capacity to build resilience is not available,” says Elina Kululanga from the department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services in Malawi.

She adds, “The damage caused itself shows just how costly floods can be if climate change is not mainstreamed in our planning processes.”

Malawi’s President  Peter Mutharika has estimated losses of up to 54 million US$, and predicts that the country will likely miss the 5.8 percent economic growth forecast this year – a bitter and unfair blow for one of the world’s poorest nations.

Meanwhile, Parliament which resumed sitting in the capital Lilongwe on Monday February  will also discuss the recent tragedy resulting from the floods in which more than 180 people have died with over 200 000 displaced, among other agenda items.