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Zomba Chilwa displaced villagers cry for relief items

About 502 households in Zomba Chilwa area are in urgent need of relief items after being displaced by floods.

Zomba district commissioner (DC) Bennet Nkasala and Zomba Chilwa ward councillor Cedrick Elliot Kokani confirmed the pathetic situation in the area.

Nkasala: We are aware of the situation
Nkasala: We are aware of the situation

Zomba Chilwa comprises Chisi Island, Chisoni, Ngotangota and Sombi,   and Kokani warned that if nothing happens, a number of people risk dying of starvation.

He said: “Since these disasters started, we have received nothing, not even a cup or plastic sheet and people are starving.”

Some of the people are said to have decided to go and stay with their relatives in Mozambique, but there are reports of abuse by Mozambicans, according to the councillor.

Chisi Island and other affected areas can only be accessed through water, but Kokani feels there can be no problem if relief is provided as the place has big boats.

On his part, the DC said he was aware of the situation in the area, but that there is no relief available.

“We are aware of the situation at Chisi and those areas, but the problem is that we do not have relief items. We are not staying idle and by the end of this week, they will be assisted,” said Nkasala.

He appealed to partners for help, saying 24 000 households were affected by the floods and the relief that came from government was not enough.

However, Nkasala blamed the people for resisting calls to leave the area before the rains came.

Said the DC: “Some of these problems are man-made. We told people from Chisi to move to upper areas, but they ignored our calls. Others are cultivating along river banks and you surely expect such incidences.”

Since the heavy rains hit the country’s 15 of 28 districts two weeks ago, houses, property and crops have been damaged while a number of people have lost their lives. The most affected areas are around Shire River  where many villages were swept away and hectares of land destroyed.

Cases of people sticking to living along river banks also abound in the Shire Valley, prompting Vice-President Saulos Chilima to hint that government needs to take a bold step to relocate people and curb the disasters.

Briefing journalists in Blantyre on Friday, Chilima said some of the disasters have gone beyond “unforeseen circumstances” as people tend to stick to flood-prone areas.

He said government would engage such citizens to find a lasting solution and save lives.

 

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