Malawi rainy season gets underway as temperatures soar
Rainy season has begun in earnest mostly in the south which received heavy rains Monday afternoon.
This took residents in Blantyre by surprise as they did not get umbrellas when leaving their homes for work places.
Temperatures in some parts of the country had hit 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) last week, the country’s Department of Meteorological Services said.
The director of the department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services Jolam Nkhokwe said some areas will continue receiving the rains up to Thursday.
He howver said low lying areas might not get the rains.
“These rains will be associated with lightening and thunderstorms,” he warned.
Nkhokwe said this year, the country is expected to receive normal to above rainfall and some parts will be hit by floods.
He said while a range of factors contribute to higher temperatures, “the big suspect of this heatwave is climate change”.
“The (temperature) figures within their respective areas are higher than what is always expected during this time of the year,” as the southern hemisphere heads toward summer, he said.
The country’s ministry of health has issued a press statement warning of heat risks and urging people to take precautions.
