Floods in Malawi leave thousands homeless

Homeless: Children prepare maize at an IDP camp in Bangula, southern Malawi. By AMOS GUMULIRA (AFP)

"We are just sleeping on the floor in the tents," said Mary Amidu, a 28-year-old mother who, like thousands of other Malawians, fled her flood-ravaged home.

"It's a camp, so the situation is disastrous, you just found a little space in the tent with your family and go home."

His village is just 10 kilometers from the border with Mozambique, next to the west bank of the Shire River, which erupted after days of torrential rains.

In Malawi, at least 56 people were killed as a result of flash floods and the government estimates that around 83,000 people have been displaced.

The Shire River Basin in southern Malawi, flooded by flash floods. By AMOS GUMULIRA (AFP)

The sea last week invaded her house so quickly that the young widow had to scramble to put her family safe.

"The floods came very quickly and we did not have time to save anything, most of my property was flooded," she said. "What was important was saving lives."

They are currently in the emergency camp in Bangula, southern Malawi, near the Mozambique-affected border of Tropical Cyclone Idai late Thursday, cutting the coastal town of Berea.

"Although we have food, we do not have any cooking utensils to prepare the food because everything has been lost," said Amidu, who feared a long stay at the camp when the waters start to sag.

& # 39; No other choice & # 39;

"We can not go back quickly because the water has not gone down and the house has been destroyed, so we will be hanging around the camp until the situation normalizes. We have no other choice. "

Pilirani Andulu walked 15 km to the camp after the collapse of his house and was forced to sleep outdoors with his two year old daughter because the tents were full.

The lack of blankets and mosquito nets means her child is exposed to mosquitoes, malaria and cold.

Relief officer Humphrey Magalasi fought to keep the 21 camps open to the crisis.

"We have huge gaps in resources such as food and non-food items," he told AFP. "What we desperately need now is food, tents, medicine and mosquito nets."

1,700 households had settled in Bangula camp as of Thursday.

Until now, the Department of Disaster Management Affairs has only received 5,000 bags of rice provided by China.

At Bangula Airfield, Magalasi also sent food and emergency supplies to flood – affected areas, including Makhanga, 65 km from Bangula.

& # 39; Accessible by boat or plane & # 39;

"We are transporting supplies by plane to Makhanga where about 2,000 households have been affected," he said.

A helicopter from the Malawi Defense Force takes off after delivering aid – Bangula camp is cut off by land. By AMOS GUMULIRA (AFP)

"Because of the floods, the area is only accessible by boat or plane, and we intend to fly 600 bags of rice and other non-food items to Makhanga."

At least 56 people died in flood-affected areas on Wednesday, according to the government, while 577 were wounded and three others missing.

"Most of the displaced families live in camps, so far, 187 camps have been set up in the affected districts," the government said in a statement.

"Assessments to determine the extent of damage in the 14 affected districts (out of the 28 in Malawi) are still ongoing."

Destroyed: The floods devastated the cornfields. Harvesting is only expected in two months. By AMOS GUMULIRA (AFP)

The floods also caused extensive material damage, including roads and crops, which forced President Peter Mutharika to declare the state of disaster.

An AFP correspondent found extensive damage in cornfields, also known as maize, located around Bangula. The destruction could potentially wreak havoc in the April and May harvest.

The country's climate change and weather services department has warned Malawians to wait for new showers.