3 dead,1 030 homeless in floods

At least 1 030 people have been rendered homeless whereas two others have died in Traditional Authority (T/A) Kachindamoto in Dedza due to flooding in Mtakataka along Livulezi River, district commissioner Sphiwe Mauwa confirmed on Wednesday.

Mauwa said cotton, rice and maize fields have been damaged and about 309 hectares of land has been affected.

“The floods have affected 1030 people in terms of farmland and 13 households have relocated to Gosheni Primary School for temporary shelter after their homes were disrupted,” said Mauwa.

She said the deceased came from sub-T/As Tambala and Chauma.

Floods have also been reported in Thyolo where at least 1 000 people have been rendered homeless after heavy rains fell in their area for three consecutive days.

In Salima, group village head Kabumbu of Senior Chief Ndindi’s area died on Monday night when the walls of her house collapsed on her.

Salima assistant district disaster risk management officer Blessings Kamtema said the traditional leader, whose real name was Eneless Abraham, met her fate when she tried to vacate her house after Lifidzi river burst its banks.

“According to witnesses, heavy floods reached the area after dusk and she and other occupants of the house were trying to escape when the walls of the house fell on her. She was pronounced dead at Salima District Hospital,” said Kamtema.

He said by Wednesday morning, some 240 households from the area of group village head Kandulu were affected whereas 40 households were left homeless in the area of group village head Kabumbu.