Cyclone steers construction reforms

In  March this year, the devastating Cyclone Freddy affected more than two million people in the Southern Region, ripping homes, roads and structures in the path of stormy torrents, floods and landslides.

The loss and damage has prompted the National Construction Industry Council (NCIC) to introduce reforms necessary for engineers to build back better.

The reforms, including provisions for ample drainage, come in recognition of natural disasters made more frequent and devastating by climate change.

The impacts of climate change keep worsening due to environmental degradation, including the waning green cover, soil erosion and siltation of waterways.

This makes Malawi one of southern African countries most at risk from natural hazards, including flooding, landslides and cyclones.

In the past decade, the country has been struck by five devastating flooding episodes, including the one triggered by El Nino in 2015 as well as Cyclone Idai in 2019, Ana and Gombe in 2021 and Freddy this year.

The Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) ranks Freddy one of the country’s worst cyclones on record.

Following the heavy rains, multiple episodes of flooding, debris flows and landslides wrecked people’s lives, livelihoods and socioeconomic facilities, pushing the nation into poverty.

Dodma estimates that the cyclone affected more than 2.2 million people, with 679 killed, 659 300 displaced and over 530 people declared missing.

“The floods extensively washed away and submerged houses; swept away roads, bridges,  power supply and irrigation infrastructure,” reads the post-disaster needs assessment.

The loss and damage of vital public infrastructure was extensive in all affected districts in the Southern Region.

In its newly launched strategic plan for 2023 to 2028, NCIC, the regulator of the construction industry, promotes resilient engineering practices for construction likely to withstand the impact of climate shocks, including cyclones.

According to NCIC chief executive officer Gerald Khonje, the new blueprint is quality-driven to help the construction industry avert the extensive loss and damage caused by natural disasters.

During the launch of the strategic plan, he said the construction industry needs to be proactive in limiting the loss and damage caused by disasters.

Khonje stated: “Recently, we have been hit by catastrophic natural disasters, including cyclones such as Freddy, Ana and Gombe.

“Each time we have been hit, our infrastructure has mercilessly been damaged.  We can reduce the damage if we focus on strong, quality and resilient infrastructure.”

The strategic plan follows wide consultations with players in the construction sector.

It hinges on four pillars, including service excellence; regulation and compliance, promotion and development, and strategic partnerships.

Khonje urged all stakeholders to support the push to build back better and deliver resilient facilities for all.

Recent disasters, including Cyclone Freddy and the earthquake that struck Turkey, exposed lack of compliance to the basic dos and don’ts in the construction industry.

The flaws include widespread shortcuts and corruption and use  of cheap materials.

Khonje said much as the strategic plan is not as binding and enforceable as national laws, it could lessen the frequency and impacts of climate-related disasters if put to good use.

“The aspirations in the new vision will assist NCIC and players in the construction industry to steer in a desirable direction,” he explained.

The engineer reckoned while the Turkey tragedy exposed malpractices, Freddy’s trail of destruction exposes the vulnerability of least developed countries such as Malawi and Mozambique to climate change shocks.

“The strategic plan presents an opportunity to revisit infrastructure preparedness to such shocks and come up with innovations for resilient infrastructure,” he said.

Minister of Transport and Public Works Jacob Hara describes the new strategy as timely to safeguard the country from preventable effects of climate change.

He states: “The country’s construction industry is at a critical juncture that requires collective soul-searching  and frantic response to climate change and weather-induced shocks on infrastructure and the recovery process that the country has embarked on.

Hara urged all players in the industry to swiftly address challenges that give rise to substandard infrastructure which is prone to disasters, including storm surges, extreme winds, flooding and landslides associated with cyclones.

In March 2019, Cyclone Idai claimed more than 60 lives and Ana last year killed 46.