In an effort to reduce the risk of floods and reduce the over dependence of school structures during time of disasters the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) is dredging some river flood prone rivers and building shelters for displaced people Nsanje district.
Speaking when he toured the implementation of the activities Commissioner for Disaster Charles Kalemba said wishes to ensure that the impact of disasters is minimized by minimizing the risk of disaster and ensuring that all response structures are well in place.
“Floods in lower shire are mainly aggravated by siltation and debris in the rivers such that even small amounts of rainfall result in flooding, River dredging and training will greatly reduce flood risks,” said Kalemba
Kalemba further revealed that apart from river dredging DoDMA with funds from the Post Cyclone Idai Emergency Recovery Project is constructing an Emergency Operation Centre in Chikwawa District, and an Evacuation Centre at Mchacha James Villllage T/A Mlolo.
“The Emergency Operation Centre will be the place where all operations will be coordinated from, this will ensure that things are done timely,” said Kalemba.
On the Evacuation Centre, Kalemba said he wishes that victims of disasters should stop occupying classrooms when they are displaced as the trend affects provision of education badly.
“It is our desire that we reach a point where we have enough evacuation centres so that disaster victims stop using classrooms for shelter.
For a long time, we have been using classrooms to host displaced people, but in turn we deny the learners freedom to education and this affect them badly during the national examination,” said Kalemba
In another interview Disaster Risk Desk Officer for Nsanje District, Patrick Sipuni, said the flood mitigating and preparedness interventions have come at a right time.
“Most rivers changed their course following Tropical Storm Ana and Cyclone Gombe induced floods, this dredging will go a long way in reducing the flood risk, Said Sipuni.
Sipuni further said that the Council will take advantage of the Climate Smart Public Works program which is currently under way in the district to plant trees and other natural vegetation along the river banks to strengthen them.
According to PRO for DoDMA, Chipiliro Khamula as part of preparedness DoDMA has also developed the National Multi-Hazard contingency plan in readiness for the season, to guide the response interventions for any type of disaster the country experiences.
Khamula also said that with financial and technical support from the World Food Program (WFP), DoDMA has established a humanitarian staging area(HAS) at Bangula, in Nsanje district, which will be used to fast track coordination and response in the lower shire.
He further said that in Collaboration with the Department of Climate Change and Metrological Services (DCCMS), is also conducting awareness and sensitization campaigns on prospects and implications of the 2022/2023 downscaled seasonal forecast targeting Councils in disaster prone areas.
