The Malawian government has disclosed that no fewer that 13 people have died after a deadly flooding savaged communities in the country.
The authorities relayed that the four-day disaster led to 35 people injured alongside a widespread destruction of 128 households which resulted to 9,598 people rendered homeless and properties yet to be estimated value destroyed.
The Department of Disaster Management Affairs, DoDMA, held that the March 15 to 18 torrential rain hit Chikwawa and nearby villages hardest, where three deaths and two injuries were reported as well as Machinga which had two fatalities and 18 injured victims.
Blantyre City had two people dead due to collapsed walls while Mangochi saw two children perish while attempting to cross a flooded river.
Other affected areas include Chiradzulu, Dedza, Karonga, Lilongwe District, Machinga, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Neno, Phalombe, Zomba City, and Zomba District.
Dodwa Commissioner, Wilson Moleni, said that relief efforts are underway with assistance being distributed to affected households.
Moleni, on Thursday, mentioned that twelve evacuation camps have been set up across six councils to provide shelter for the victims.
“DoDMA has begun distributing relief assistance to affected households,” Moleni uttered.
“Councils are continuing detailed assessments to determine the full extent of damage and will submit comprehensive reports in due course,” he added.
The department is appealing for support from development partners, NGOs, and the private sector to aid response efforts, adding that further update on the incident will be issued in due course.
