Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) has urged district councils, municipalities and cities to develop disaster risk management (DRM) plans in line with the 2023 DRM Act to minimise the impact of disasters.
Speaking on Saturday in Liwonde, Machinga during a review meeting for Chikwawa District Council’s DRM plan, Dodma resilience officer Hanky Ndawu said such plans provide councils with clear strategies and measures for reducing or preventing disasters.
disasters. | Haneeph Maulana
He said: “The DRM plan goes beyond disaster response as it also focuses on prevention, risk reduction, preparedness, effective response planning and recovery.
“We do not only look at how to respond when disasters strike, but also how to prevent them, reduce their risks, prepare in advance and recover after they occur.”
Ndawu said the initiative will not only protect communities from harm, but also help safeguard development investments that are often destroyed by recurring disasters.
On her part, Chikwawa district disaster risk management officer Charity Machika said the review will help the district reduce the number of households affected by disasters each year.
The revised plan will integrate anticipatory actions to strengthen preparedness and improve the district’s capacity to respond to disasters such as floods which frequently hit the Shire Valley.
Chikwawa District Council organised the review in partnership with Eagles Relief and Development Programme with support from Concern Worldwide under the Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance initiative.
Eagles Relief and Development programme manager Trywell Khonje said formulating DRM plans is resource-intensive and appealed to stakeholders in disaster risk management to support councils in the process
