Malawi’s ability to anticipate floods and cyclones is set for a major boost with the construction of a new weather radar at Kasamba Hills in Mdeka, Blantyre.
The move will help communities prepare for floods, cyclones and other disasters that have repeatedly claimed lives and damaged property across the country.
The Minister of Natural Resources and Climate Change, Patricia Wiskes, has expressed optimism that the facility will strengthen Malawi’s capacity to deliver accurate and timely weather forecasts, that could give communities crucial time to act before disaster strikes, potentially saving lives and protecting property.
Wiskes made the remarks she together with her deputy Chipiliro Mpinganjira on Friday visited the construction site, where she assessed progress of the radar installation project and commended ongoing works.
“We have been losing a lot of money because we were taken unawares by extreme weather events,” Wiskes said.
The radar system will be capable of detecting weather patterns within a radius of 250 kilometres in all directions, providing detailed data to support forecasting and early warning systems.
Project officials said the facility is expected to be handed over to the government within the next three months.
Site engineer Isaac Saint from E-Trading Corporation said the project includes construction of a radar tower, a server room, access roads, and supporting security infrastructure.
He said the works are progressing as planned and form part of efforts to strengthen Malawi’s weather monitoring capacity.
The project is part of broader government efforts to improve preparedness for climate-related hazards such as floods, cyclones, and droughts, which have increasingly affected communities and infrastructure in recent years.
The government has also indicated plans to construct similar radar facilities in the Central Region and later in the Northern Region to expand nationwide coverage.
