Alert

07/2008 - Malawi

Flooding in Chikwawa and Nsanje, Southern Malawi

Geneva, January 24, 2008

Chikwawa district in the southern region of Malawi has again been hit by floods, while in Nsanje district people have started relocating from flood prone areas to higher ground. In Chikwawa, heavy rains caused major flooding between January 15 and 16, 2008, when several rivers burst their banks. The flooding swept away crops, livestock, human dwellings, as well as submerging houses and displacing several hundreds of people. Three deaths related to the floods have already been confirmed. In Nsanje, hundreds of people are still located in waterlogged marshy areas, where there is a likelihood of the Shire River also bursting its banks. This may cause further heavy flooding.

An estimated 523 households are currently homeless (with their houses destroyed and belongings washed away). The three deaths occurred in Chapananga and Ngowe. Currently, a total of 471.7 hectares of farmland under crops, containing maize, sorghum, cassava and sweet potato has been washed away. More than 100 goats and 200 poultry have been lost. In Nsanje, some 16,800 people are expected to relocate to higher ground in Nsanje from the floods.

In Chikwawa the displaced population has no permanent shelter, food, sanitary facilities, utensils, safe and potable water, enough clothing or blankets. There is a high risk of commutable and water borne diseases as a result of the situation.

ACT members Evangelical Lutheran Development Services (ELDS) and Church Action in Relief and Development (CARD) both have a presence in the affected areas. ELDS and CARD, with support from the ACT Malawi forum members, intend to assist the affected populations with distributions of food aid, temporary shelter, sanitary materials (plastic sheeting), utensils, clothing, blankets, water purification tablets and seeds.

No assistance has been given to the communities so far, except for some tents provided by the government of Malawi.

A detailed assessment is being conducted by ELDS to identify vulnerable persons affected by the floods and to assess the resources needed to support people to recover from the floods. A Rapid Response Fund (RRF) request or an ACT appeal will be sent to ACT Coordinating Office to facilitate a timely response.

Any funding indication or pledge should be communicated to Jessie Kgoroeadira, ACT Finance Officer (jkg@act-intl.org).

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ACT is a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies worldwide. The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.