People hail initiative to contain floods
Communities in Dwangwa, Nkhotakota District have commended Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi for supporting interventions to halt floods from Dwangwa River.
They expressed the sentiments on Friday when Malawi Environmental Endowment Trust donated K1.5 million to Dwangwa Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi for mapping Dwangwa River Catchment ahead of the interventions.
In an interview yesterday, Grace Somba from Traditional Authority Kanyenda said Dwangwa experiences perennial floods, which destroy people’s homes and crops.
“Dwangwa is a low-lying area prone to flooding. I am looking forward to seeing authorities construct a dyke along the river to stop the floods,” she said.
Dwangwa Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi branch manager Victor Mangochi said the mapping exercise seeks to establish the root causes of flooding in the area.
“After identifying what happens upstream, we will embark on the interventions,” he said.
Malawi Environmental Endowment Trust coordinator Karen Price said her organisation provides grants to environmental projects in the country.
“We are supporting the mapping phase to gather more information about the causes of flooding in Dwangwa. Afterwards, we will know the resources that will be needed to implement the interventions,” she said.
Price appealed for support from other well-wishers, saying the project is complex and will need more technical support.
Nkhotakota relief and rehabilitation officer Rhomatchinga Nkhata welcomed the initiative, saying the floods affect people and animals.
“The river changed its course, thereby causing floods,” she said.
Dwangwa has been experiencing floods since 2015. Last year, 1 000 people in Dwangwa were affected.
Meanwhile, Department of Disaster Management Affairs commissioner Charles Kalemba has urged district councils to put in place measures to address impacts of disasters.
