The Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) says deaths linked to heavy rains and lightning have reached 16 since the onset of the 2025/26 rainfall season.
Dodma spokesperson Chipiliro Khamula said in an interview yesterday that out of the 16 deaths, 13 were caused by lightning while three resulted from collapsing walls.
a rainstorm in Ntcheu. | Nation
Overall, disasters such as stormy rains, strong winds and flash floods have affected 23 councils nationwide, affecting 9 124 households or more than 41 000 people.
Khamula said Dodma has been assisting affected househol d s with both food and non-food items, including maize, beans, blankets, buckets and plastic sheets for temporary roofing.
“Thi s is an ongoing program and the department will reach out to all affected people based on verified reports from the councils,” he said.
Meanwhile, a 25-year-old woman has died in Chilobwe Township in Blant y re after the wall of her house collapsed following heavy rains on Monday.
Soche Police spokesperson Aaron Chilala said the woman, identified as Fanny Chimkango, was sleeping together with her seven-year-old child when the wall fell on them at around 10pm.
“Postmortem showed that Chimkango died due to suffocation. The child
escaped unhurt,” she said.
Mean while , t h e Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services weekly forecast indicates that most parts of the country will continue to receive heavy rains today and on Thursday.
However, rainfall activity is expected to reduce from Friday due to a weak low-pressure system over the Mozambique Channel.
In a related development, Met director Lucy Mtilatila yesterday dismissed claims of an impending cyclone, saying there is currently none in the vicinity.
“There i s l e ss t han 30 percent chance that a cyclone may develop in the Mozambique Channel. We will alert the public if the chance increases,” she said.
In December last year, Cyclone Chido affected 46 017 people in 23 districts in the country, killing 13, injuring 29 and displacing 227 others.
