A wave of fierce rainstorms swept across several districts in Malawi on Sunday and Monday, leaving behind a sombre trail of loss and destruction.
By dawn on Tuesday, one life had been lost through a lightning strike in Neno while trees and power lines lay battered across multiple districts, highlighting the country’s growing vulnerability as the rains intensify.
The districts struck by the violent storms, characterised by strong winds, torrential downpours and intense lightning, included Lilongwe, Nkhata Bay, Nsanje, Thyolo, Ch i kwawa and Neno. Communities reported roofs being blown off, trees uprooted, walls collapsing and key infrastructure severely damaged.
In Thyol o, d i s t r i c t commissioner (DC) Hudson Kuphanga said the downpour devastated communities, rendering at least 65 households homeless and leaving 22 people injured. He described the situation as dire, saying many families have lost their property and are in urgent need of relief items.
“These households have literally nothing. They are in urgent need of food, blankets, and plastic papers to rebuild their homes. As a council, we only have plates and cups, but they are not enough. We are, therefore, appealing to well-wishers to help us with any assistance,” he said.
Kuphanga’s counterpart in Neno, Rosemary Nawasha, confirmed that a woman died after being struck by lightning as rainstorms intensified in the district.
She said four members of the same family were rushed to Neno District Hospital after their house collapsed on them.
The impact of the rains has also been felt in the Shire Valley. In Chikwawa, acting DC Grace Momba reported that flooding severely affected the district’s road network, one of the most vulnerable sectors since the onset of the rainy season.
She noted that on November 4, rising waters cut off Ndakwera Road, making it impassable and disrupting access to key facilities.
However, the full extent of the damage and loss was not yet fully assessed as of yesterday with Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) spokesperson Chipi liro Khamula saying in an interview that the department was still conducting assessments.
He said: “We have triggered a rapid assessment mechanism to determine the full extent of the destruction. Presently, our officers in the affected councils are still consolidating damage assessments which we will compile and share with the public.”
