By Isaac Salima
Tropical Cyclone Jude-induced rains have affected 3,600 people in the Southern Region, with three people still missing, the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) has disclosed.
Thirteen Southern Region districts have been affected by the cyclone, which made landfall from Mozambique on Tuesday.
In a statement, Dodma Commissioner Charles Kalemba indicates that a preliminary report from Nsanje District indicates that three people are missing.
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He said they went missing after a canoe they were sailing in from a nearby area in Mozambique to Nsanje capsized in Ruo River.
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“The council further reports that houses have been submerged due to the flooding of Nyamadzere River and that assessments are underway to establish the extent of damage,” it says.
The affected councils are Mulanje, Chikwawa, Thyolo, Zomba City, Phalombe, Neno, Mwanza and Mangochi.
Among the councils, Mangochi is the hardest hit, with 1,421 households affected in Traditional Authority (TA) Chowe and Sub-TA Moto and that four camps have been set to provide shelter.
In TAs Nsabwe and Nsabwe in Thyolo, a total of 849 people have been affected.
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On its part, Chikwawa District Council reports that three houses have collapsed in TA Mulilima whereas Zomba City indicates that 19 households (approximately 86 people) have been affected.
Dodma also indicates that apart from 774 people that are reported to have been affected in TA Nkanda, the council has received reports of damage from TA Njema and Sunganinzeru.
In Neno, about 410 people have been affected in TA Dambe and Chekucheku, with most roads being rendered impassable.
“In Neno, reports state that the district has had no electricity for three consecutive days following the collapsing of electric poles as rains and strong winds wreaked havoc,” the statement says.
Dodma further says despite experiencing some rains and winds, there have been no reports of damage from councils in Blantyre, Balaka, Ntcheu, Dedza, Salima, Machinga, Zomba, Chiradzulu and Lilongwe.
“Meanwhile, the department has dispatched relief items for distribution to affected households in Mulanje. Further arrangements have been made to provide assistance in all affected areas as per verified reports from councils,” it says.
The Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (Met) disclosed Wednesday that the cyclone made landfall in Malawi through Phalombe District.
“The storm reduced its intensity when it was approaching Malawi. As a result, the impact has been minimised. There are chances that it may start going southwards and there are chances that it may intensify in the next 24 hours,” Met director Lucy Mtilatila is quoted as saying.
Met indicated that the intensity of the rains being experienced was expected to reduce by today.
