Floods Devastate Malawi, Affecting 638,000 People

Malawi Floods Situation Report  by UNOCHA, UNICEF and FAO

28 January 2015

• Some 638,000 people affected countrywide, according to Department of Disaster Management Affairs/OCHA situation report 23 January 2015

• [More than ¼ million people have been displaced in Malawi floods including] 174,000 in 3 most affected districts—Chikwawa, Nsanje and Phalombe.

• At least 15 of country’s 28 districts are affected.

• 79 deaths have been reported.

• At least 153 people missing in Nsanje District.

• 181 Schools occupied by displaced people (Reports from District Education Managers 26 .01.15)

• An estimated 116,000 households have lost their crops and livestock.

• More than 63,000 hectares of land is submerged under floodwater, including 35,000 hectares of cropland.

• A state of emergency has been declared for 15 of Malawi’s 28 districts.

• Floods have destroyed thousands of homes, washing away scores of livestock, and submerging hundreds of hectares of crops, a senior official said.

• Untold numbers of goats and chickens have perished where waters rose with unexpected speed, raising the risk of livestock disease outbreaks.

FIRE-EARTH Models show that Malawi is facing its worst ever flooding.

Related Links

• Malawi Floods Devastate Half the Country January 17, 2015
• Disaster Declared as Deadly Floods Swamp Third of Malawi January 14, 2015
• Thousands Displaced by Deadly Floods in Malawi January 11, 2015