DC calls for relief support as rains displace people in Mangochi

Mangochi district commissioner (DC) Dr. Raphael Piringu has appealed for more humanitarian support for hundreds of households whose houses and property have been damaged by stormy rains in the district.

The DC made the appeal on Saturday following an assessment report on a recent disaster in Traditional Authority (TA) Namavi where 183 households were affected due to stormy rains that poured between Wednesday and Thursday.

Piringu said the affected households, among them female-headed households, need immediate relief items such as food and shelter while awaiting implementation of long term measures.

“This appeal goes not only to government but to all stakeholders and our partners in the district: we need their support,” he said, adding: “As Council, we will continue with the assessment of their health and sanitation requirements and we’ll provide them with required supplies such as chlorine.”

In his report to the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) on the recent disaster, the DC has emphasized on the need for “some immediate survival and recovery needs like food commodities, kitchen utensils and reconstruction or reroofing materials.”

He has appealed for provision of classroom-size tents as a temporary mechanism awaiting the maintenance of damaged classroom blocks at Msusa Primary School in TA Namavi where learning has been interrupted.

According to the District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (DRRO) for Mangochi, Francis Kadzokoya, there are 437 households in TAs Mponda and Jalasi, who had their houses and property either completely or partially damaged by stormy rains early December and they are awaiting support.

The DRRO said both reports have been submitted to DoDMA for immediate action.

Meanwhile, DoDMA has already supported 262 households who were left helpless after all their houses were rendered inhabitable due to stormy rains in TAs Bwananyambi and Chilipa and Sub Traditional Authorities (STA) Nkumba and Mtonda towards end November.

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