Disasters have terrorised the country—Dodma
By Patience Lunda:
The Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) has described this year as the worst in terms of disasters that have rocked the country.
Dodma Director of Preparedness and Response Moses Chimphepo said in an interview yesterday that the country is continuously recording various forms of disaster, the recent ones being the dry spell and heavy rains in Karonga and Mzuzu City, respectively.
Chimphepo made the remarks when Dodma distributed relief items to 133 households that have been affected by heavy rains in Mzuzu City.
He then asked people who are residing in disaster-prone areas to relocate to avert future occurrences.
“People need to say if they need new places to relocate to because staying in disaster-prone areas is very dangerous because they will continue suffering when disasters strike,” Chimphepo said.
On his part, Mzuzu City Council Chief Executive Officer Gomezgani Nyasulu disclosed that all buildings constructed in undesignated places will be destroyed to avoid disasters.
Nyasulu then asked residents of the city to refrain from dumping garbage in drains, saying such tendencies clog drainage systems and contribute to the occurrence of floods.
“We have building regulations which guide people on how they can be erecting structures and we will ensure that they follow the guidelines and if they fail to comply we will be demolishing their structures,” he said.
The affected households were given maize flour, basins and cups.
Heavy rains have been falling in Mzuzu City for close to a week, affecting over 512 houses, a figure likely to rise as the rains persist.
