Government through the Ministry of Water and Sanitation has warned that from 31 December, 2023 to 2 January, 2024, some major rivers in Malawi are expected to continue experiencing high waters levels.
According to a statement released by the Ministry and signed by its Director of Water Resources, Eng. James Chitete, the increase of water levels and the possibility of flooding will be due to heavy rains and thunderstorms that are being experienced in the Lakeshore, Northern, Central and Southern areas.
The ministry says, according to its flood forecasting model, the several rivers are expected to have high waters levels in the next 72 hours.
They are Dwangwa, Kaombe, Bua, Chirua, Lingadzi, and Nkula in Nkhotakota, Hara, Nyungwe,Wovwe, Songwe, Kyungu, and North Rukuru in Karonga district; Linthipe, Lifidzi, Lingadzi in Salima district; Likangala, Thondwe, Mulunguzi and along Lake Chilwa in Zomba district, Phalombe in Phalombe, Namadzi in Chiradzulu, Likhubula, Mwanza, Lisungwi, Mkulukadzi, Nkombedzi wa Fodya, Nyachipere and Thangadzu in Chikwawa district, Thuchira in Mulanje district.
“The Ministry is, therefore advising the general public to refrain from settling in and crossing the flooded rivers and streams and to be alert when visiting these areas,” says the Ministry.
The statement further highlighted that communities along some of the mentioned rivers are also advised to utilize the Community Based Flood Early Warning Systems (CBFEWS) installed to prevent loss caused by floods.
Meanwhile, the Ministry has urged people in the country to continuously pay attention to available updates on water levels/floods from the Department of Water Resources to be able to be safe from any flood-related threats.
