Government to assess disaster damage in 15 districts
Government, through the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma), will conduct a post disaster needs assessment (PDNA) in 15 districts affected by floods early this year.
The assessment project, which aims to produce estimates of the overall impact of the floods on socio-economic development of the country, has been financed by European Union with support from the World Bank and United Nation (UN) agencies for $250 000 (about K112.5 million).
Speaking when he opened a three-day training on PDNA and recovery framework methodology in Blantyre on Wednesday, Paul Chiunguzeni, secretary and commissioner for Dodma, said the 2015 floods have been the worst in decades and the damage and losses caused so far has been overwhelming.
Chiunguzeni, however, cautioned that, according to the Malawi Meteorological Services, widespread rains associated with local heavy downpours are expected to continue affecting the country throughout February, thus, the current and anticipated damage and losses caused shall remain overwhelming.
“Thus, no words can be good enough to overemphasise the significance of the training given government’s desire to collect objective data that is relevant for developing and carrying out a Recovery and Reconstruction Framework as well as Disaster Risk Financing Strategy,” said Chiunguzeni.
World Bank Disaster Risk Management Specialist, Francis Nkoka, commended government for responding quickly to those affected by the disaster and requesting the development partners to conduct a comprehensive assessment on post disaster needs.
The assessment team comprises more than 60 participants from government, UN agencies, the World Bank, the EU and some international NGOs and they have been drawn from all the sectors that were affected by the disaster which includes housing, health, education, water and sanitation, agriculture and food security, among others.
According to Nkoka, “the participants will be divided into three teams which will go to collect data in affected areas…and after everything is done, they are expected to present a report of their findings to government on March 20.”
As of February 6, over 230 000 people had been displaced, over 100 reported dead; over 170 people are reported missing and nearly 64 000 hectares of land and crops destroyed. President Peter Mutharika declared a state of disaster on January 13, 2015.
