Lightning has killed 14 people nationwide while heavy rains have affected at least 8 096 households whose houses have been damaged since the onset of the 2025/26 rainy season.
Department of Disaster Management Affairs commissioner Wilson Moleni yesterday confirmed the number of deaths and affected households.
He said official records show that 10 people have been killed by lighting while at least 46 others were injured.
However, Moleni acknowledged that the number of deaths could be higher because the department conducts assessments first before recording the latest deaths.
“We are asking people to follow weather updates during the rainy season,” he said in a phone interview yesterday.
But according to figures The Nation collected from authorities, including the police in some of the affected districts, lightning has killed at least 14 people since December 1 2025.
Two people in Neno and one in Machinga died on December 1. The following day, lightning struck to death two people in Mangochi District where heavy rains also destroyed several houses.
In addition, two young men were killed in Mzimba and others were injured on December 4 when they wanted to play football at Embombeni Football ground.
Wednesday this week was another tragic day when lightning killed seven people in Chikwawa, Dowa and Kasungu.
In Chikwawa, two sisters, aged 19 and 11 died on the day.
On the other hand, three people died at Lumbadzi in Dowa while another was injured, according to Lumbadzi Police Station.
Two other people, including a Standard seven learner died in Kasungu.
Meanwhile, the rains have not spared infrastructures across the country, including that of Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom).
Escom spokesperson Pilirani Phiri yesterday acknowledged that the recent stormy rains and strong winds in Lilongwe City and other parts of the country have adversely affected its operations.
“This weather has caused significant infrastructure damage, including the felling of trees which have brought down electricity poles, resulting in service interruptions in most parts of the country,” he said.
Roads Authority chief executive officer Engineer Ammiel Champiti said mostly, drainage systems in construction sites were affected, but the authority was continuously working on them.
He said mudslides were affecting some roads.
Meanwhile, the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (MET) has warned that thunderstorms and rains are expected to continue until Saturday.
“Threat of flash flooding is still high mainly over lakeshore and some Central and Southern areas,” the department said in a statement.
Blantyre City Council also warned of possible heavy rains in the city starting from Wednesday this week.
According to MET, people should avoid open spaces and tall objects such as trees during thunderstorms and stay indoors or in enclosed shelters when lightning is observed.
Farmers and herders are also advised to move livestock to safe areas.
During the same period last year, heavy rains affected 10 833 households. Eleven deaths were recorded, eight of them due to lightning.
