Heavy rains that started on Sunday have killed a father and his four-year-old son in Salima and displaced at least 15 households in Zomba besides causing damage to road and other infrastructure.
Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) spokesperson Chipiliro Khamula said in an interview yesterday that they have received preliminary reports of damage to houses in Zomba and Salima.
Zomba City Council spokesperson Aubrey Moses said assessments have established that 15 houses have been damaged due to heavy rainfall.
He said the affected people have been moved to safer places.
In a separate interview, Salima district disaster risk management officer Gloria Chinangwa said the council was still conducting an assessment to find out the number of households affected.
Salima Police Station spokesperson Rebecca Ndiwate yesterday identified the deceased as Ibrahim Ismael, 35, and his son Shabil Ibrahim.
She said the incident happened on Sunday night following heavy rains in the district.
Ndiwate said the two fell into a pit latrine after its floor caved in before the structure’s wall also fell.
In a notice dated March 15 2026, commissioner for disaster management affairs Wilson Moleni advised partner organisations to activate anticipatory action protocols targeting low-lying and flood-prone areas.
In an interview yesterday, Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (MET) director Lucy Mtilatila said it is an extreme event having this kind of heavy rainfall in March.
However, she said the situation happens sometimes, citing Cyclone Freddy which hit the country on March 12 2023.
She further said that Salima and some areas in Zomba have received the highest amount of rainfall between Sunday and yesterday, reaching more than 100 milimetres.
Dodma data indicate that over 46 000 households have been affected by disasters across the country since the onset of the rainy season, with 49 deaths and 226 injuries recorded.
Additional reporting by MARTIN GELA and ANDREW TEMBO, Correspondents
