Incessant rains during the Christmas holiday triggered floods in seven districts and killed a child in Nsanje, authorities said yesterday.
The heavy rains also displaced thousands of families while damaging houses and crops, according to Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma).
Preliminary reports indicate that Chiradzulu, Dowa, Blantyre, Machinga, Nsanje, Karonga and Chikwawa are the affected districts.
In an interview yesterday, Dodma spokesperson Chipiliro Khamula said the three-year-old was washed away while attempting to cross a flooded river in Nsanje after water levels rose rapidly.
“Except for the single fatality, the rains have mainly caused damage to houses and crops,” he said.
Khamula said district councils are in the meantime conducting assessments to determine the extent of the damage to inform the kind of immediate assistance needed.
He said Dodma and district authorities are on high alert, with local search and rescue teams activated and national teams on standby for possible deployment.
Khamula said traditional authority-level disaster committees have also been alerted to closely monitor developments and report emergencies to councils.
Meanwhile, the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services has warned of continued rains and heightened flooding risks as the rainy season persists.
The department’s director Lucy Mtilatila said the seasonal outlook shows normal to above-normal rainfall in many areas between October and December 2025, extending into early 2026.
However, she cautioned communities to prepare for uneven rainfall distribution.
“Do not let the rainfall season catch you unprepared. Your safety is our top priority. Let us be vigilant together,” said Mtilatila.
Dodma data show that hundreds of households have been affected by weather-related incidents this rainy season, including flash floods, strong winds and lightning, disrupting livelihoods and infrastructure, particularly in southern and central Malawi.
Authorities have urged residents in flood-prone areas to avoid crossing fast-flowing rivers and streams and to follow daily weather updates as rains continue.
Meanwhile, Malawi Red Cross Society has joined local councils in conducting a rapid assessment of the impact of disasters triggered by heavy rains that hit most parts of the country between Thursday and Saturday.
In an interview yesterday, Malawi Red Cross Society communications specialist Felix Washon said the organisation has deployed teams on the ground to assess the extent of the damage and determine the immediate humanitarian needs of affected communities.
“Our teams have joined government to carry out a rapid assessment and establish the damage caused by the rains. Preliminary reports indicate that Nsanje and Chikwawa are the most affected districts so far,” he said.
The assessment is aimed at guiding response efforts, including the provision of relief assistance to households displaced or affected by flooding and storm-related damages.
Chikwawa acting district commissioner Grace Momba confirmed that the district has recorded significant losses following continuous rains and flash floods.
She said the district disaster management office began receiving reports on the damages on December 26 and that as at 11pm on Saturday the district had recorded 2 030 households affected by the disasters.
Said Momba: “Further to that, four people sustained injuries in Traditional Authority Chapananga. The victims were treated as outpatients.
“The assessment has already identified urgent humanitarian needs among affected communities. These include food assistance and shelter materials such as plastic sheets for households whose homes have been damaged.”
