Malawi: Floods cause havoc

| January 26, 2015

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The scale and impact of the current flooding in southern Malawi seems to have caught authorities by surprise. Some areas were deluged with a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours, and forecasts suggest there is more to come.

Reports indicate that at least 48 people have died, and an estimated 70,000 have been displaced. The death toll may rise, as some villages are cut off by the flooding and rescue workers have not been able to reach them.

Malawi’s President, Peter Mutharika, has declared 15 southern districts as disaster zones, almost half the country, and has appealed for foreign aid. The Malawian military has been deployed to lead the evacuation of vulnerable communities, but continued bad weather is hampering their efforts.

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