Families displaced by floods in Nkhotakota say they are struggling to survive in crowded rescue camps as the death toll in the districts doubled from five to 10 yesterday.
The survivors narrated their ordeals yesterday when Minister of Transport and Public Works Feston Kaupa alongside officials from Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) visited the areas affected by floods in the district.
In an interview, Rebecca Longwe-Mchuwa said that when floodwaters swept through the district last month she feared she would lose her family.
“If it were not for the rescue efforts, many more lives would have been lost,” she said.
Longwe-Mchuwa, who is seeking shelter at Mtupi Primary School Camp with her husband and six children, said boats were used to evacuate stranded residents after appeals for help to local leaders.
damaged home. | Dodma
“The response was timely. People were rescued when the situation was getting worse,” she said.
But safety from the floods has come with new risks.
At the camp, families sleep in overcrowded classrooms without mosquito nets, exposing them to malaria and other diseases.
“We do not have access to health services, and there are not enough toilets here,” Longwe-Mchuwa said. “Food assistance is coming, but it is not enough for the number of people.”
Martha Mvula, a mother to a two-month-old baby, said conditions at Mijiga Primary School Camp are not conducive for infants.
“The environment is not safe for my child. There are many mosquitoes in these school blocks,” she said. “If we can be provided with mosquito nets, it would help.”
Another survivor, Alice Chikulika, said some displaced people lost their medication when their homes were flooded.
Nkhotakota district commissioner Ben Matengeni Tonho confirmed that the death toll has risen to 10 and warned that the number could increase because search and rescue operations continue.
“There are still people missing,” he said.
The floods displaced 4 315 households, damaged houses and roads, and destroyed crop fields and other property across the district.
Tonho said 14 camps have been established to accommodate the displaced, but delivering relief food remains a challenge due to damaged road infrastructure.
Dodma spokesperson Chilipiro Khamula also confirmed the 10 deaths in Nkhotakota. The national death toll stood at 20 as of Saturday.
Kaupa, who visited the district and handed over maize to affected communities, said the government is working to ensure continued support for the displaced.
He acknowledged that damaged roads have hampered relief efforts, but said: “I would like to commend Illovo [Sugar Malawi plc], Ethco and Nkhotakota District Council for sourcing relief items locally and distributing them to the victims.”
Nkhotakota is among Malawi’s flood-prone districts and was also affected by floods earlier in 2025, which displaced thousands of people.
