Nsanje communities ask Dodma to dredge river

 Communities around Nsanje Boma have asked the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) to dredge Nyamadzere River to reduce potential flooding which happens every year.

Speaking in an interview yesterday, group village head (GVH) Mtemangawa said people are living in fear as the rainy season is fast approaching.

He said: “The river bed is filled with sand, making it shallow. Come the rainy season, the river will swell and burst its banks.

“Memories are still fresh how last year the river burst its banks following Cyclone Freddy. Our houses and properties were destroyed.

 We are yet to recover from that tragedy.”

Nsanje South West legislator Eurita Ntiza Valeta (Malawi Congress Party) said people around Mtemangawa, Malemia, Nthukuso, Balaka, Therere and Chiphwembwe villages are living in fear following last year’s experience.

“We need support immediately. If Dodma can dredge the river bed before the rainy season, we might save lives and property,” she said.

In his response, Dodma commissioner Charles Kalemba said his department will dredge all rivers in the Shire Valley districts of Nsanje and Chikwawa, including Nyamadzere.

“Last year, we started dredging rivers to give them more capacity to carry more water and avoid flooding in this region. Some machinery is already in the districts geared to start working as we have no time,” he said.

Kalemba said apart from dredging the rivers, Dodma is also planning to construct dykes in other rivers banks such as Naminyala in Senior Chief Tengani in Nsanje.

“I am informed that the contractor for the works has been identified,” he said.

Chikwawa and Nsanje are some of the districts in the country which experience flooding.

To solve the problem, Dodma has been dredging some of the rivers and constructing dykes along river banks such as Mwanza in Chikwawa District