Heavy rains which fell on Tuesday and Wednesday in Karonga district have damaged rice crops and displaced 328 households.
The rains burst Lufilya River the district which caused nine villages to be under water.
According to Karonga District Council’s acting director of planning and development (DPD) Isaac Mkandawire, a preliminary assessment report that district civil protection committee (DCPC) carried shows that four villages have been greatly affected around Ngerenge while nine more have been severely hit around Ighembe in the same TA.
“There is property and livestock loss due to flash floods that have taken place mainly in TA Kilupula and 40 houses have been destroyed while 70 more have developed cracks.
“So far there is no loss of life apart from rice gardens and livestocks that have been washed away,” Mkandawire said.
He added that the affected families are being accommodated by their relatives and no camp has been set up as DCPC and agricultural district division (ADD) official are jointly on the ground assessing the situation to determine the extent of damage to crops.
Meanwhile, group village headman Kalongolera has appealed for emergency help from wishers following the flash floods that have affected several households around Ighembe due to flooding of Kyungu River that in turn made Kakolya and Ntakisi rivers to swell and burst.
Kalongolera said people from villages such as Mwambuli, Kalongolera one and two, Mwakyusa and Mwangali have lost their rice and cassava gardens and the effects are severe.
“As I am speaking right now the road is impassable. If one wants to cross the river then they have has to use boats,” Kalongolera said.
