UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs say that 106,000 people from over 19,000 households have been displaced by the floods. This figure has increased from 70,000 earlier this week. The death toll remains at 48, although at least 19 people remain missing.
Areas Affected by Floods in Malawi
The floods have affected 15 of the country’s 28 districts. These are: Nsanje, Chikwawa, Phalombe Zomba; Blantyre, Chiradzulu, Thyolo, Mulanje, Balaka, Machinga, Mangochi, Ntcheu, Salima, Rumphi and Karonga
The southern districts of Nsanje, Chikwawa, Phalombe and Zomba and thought to be worst affected.
Rescue Operations
Malawi authorities, including military personnel from the Malawi Defence Force, are carrying out rescue operations in boats and helicopters. On Wednesday and Thursday these centred on the districts of Nsanje and Chikwawa. Over 1,000 people have been rescued from the flood zones, despite initial operations being hampered by poor conditions.
Crop and Livestock Damage
The floods and heavy rainfall have caused widespread damage to crops, including maize and tobacco, and also livestock. Agriculture accounts for around 35% of Malawi’s GDP. Tobacco is one of the country’s key exports.
Despite last year’s maize harvest surplus, damage to crops is raising fears of food shortages in the coming months.
Fear of Increase in Disease
Wide areas of standing water, along with poor sanitary and drainage conditions, particularity at relocation sites have increased the fear of mosquito- and water-borne disease, in particular a large-scale cholera outbreak. The severe weather, which resulted in power outages, has also interrupted health services.
Further Heavy Rain
Paul Chiunguzeni, principal secretary for Disaster Management Affairs, said in a statement earlier today that “What the country has witnessed is only the beginning of the onset of rains.”
“The government is urging people living in flood-prone districts to urgently relocate to upland areas to avoid losing more lives.”
Heavy rainfall is expected to hit central and northern areas of the country some time next week. NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center say the heavy rainfall is a result of a change of the southern Africa Monsoon, leaving areas seeing 150% higher rainfall than normal.
President to Visit Flood Zones
Malawi President is expected to visit some of the flood hit areas some time today. In a statement yesterday, his office said that the president will visit the people at Mpondasi in Mangochi district and Ulongwe in Balaka South
Mr Mutharika was due to fly to Mozambique for the swearing-in of the president-elect, HE Filipe Nyusi. Mozambique has also been badly affected by floods over the last few days. Latest reports claim that 34 people have died in the flooding.
Malawi Floods Map
The map below shows the areas affected by the floods in Malawi, as of 15 January 2015. Click map for larger version.
The map is from OCHA. The original can be seen here (pdf)
