Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) statistics indicate that 39 people have died due to rain-related disasters in the 2024-25 rainfall season.
This means four more people have died this month, as the number of deaths linked to such disasters was 35 in January this year.
Dodma spokesperson Chipiliro Khamula confirmed the development.
He added that 483 people had been injured as of Wednesday, March 5 this year.
“Most of the deaths have come due to lightning strikes, which have killed about 26 people this year. The latest deaths as a result of lightning happened last week in the Northern Region, where two children were killed,” he said.
Khamula also said, so far, 40,178 households have been affected by natural disasters, up from 35, 661 last month.
He said out of the affected households, about 809 were still living in evacuation camps in Mangochi and Blantyre because rains completely destroyed their houses.
“We have, so far, reached out to 80 percent of the affected households with non-food and food relief items such as beans, maize floor, blankets, tents, sanitary facilities and others. We continue to support the affected households in line with our mandate,” Khamula said.
A representative of the displaced people in Mpinganjira Village, Traditional Authority Mapila, in Mangochi District, Emily Mpinganjira, said most displaced people had no financial means of rebuilding houses that were damaged by heavy rains.
“Some of us are widows, such that we have no one to help us. We appeal to the government to help us so that we can relocate from the camp. They can even give us loans, which we can use to venture into business. The profits generated can then be used for paying back the loans and reconstructing houses,” Mpinganjira said.
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