Prolonged and intense rains that have battered several parts of the country since late December have left thousands of households displaced, crops washed away, public infrastructure damaged and lives lost, exposing serious weaknesses in disaster preparedness and early warning systems. In Kasungu District, stormy rains that began on December 27, 2025, have affected at least 2,775 households across 17 traditional authorities, according to district principal disaster risk management officer Shepherd Jere. Jere said 260 houses have been completely destroyed, while 2,515 others were partially damaged, mainly due to collapsed walls.
Although no deaths have been recorded in the district so far, 10 people have sustained injuries, some after houses collapsed during the storms. “Although the impact is widespread, there has been no death recorded so far, but 10 people have been injured. The displaced families, estimated at about 90, are currently being accommodated by relatives and well-wishers,” said Jere.
Traditional Authority (T/A) Kaluluma has been the hardest hit, with 499 affected households, followed by T/A Chisinga with 456 families. The rains have also destroyed critical infrastructure. Mpasadzi, Nkhamenya and Milenje bridges have been washed away, cutting off communities and disrupting transport.
Read Full Article on Nyasa Times
[paywall]
Further flooding occurred after the World Bank-funded Sopani Dam in T/A Chisemphere burst its banks, worsening the situation downstream. During an inspection tour, Kasungu Municipality legislator Noel Mkubwi (Independent) described the situation as heartbreaking. “In one case, a house collapsed on a woman who was injured and rushed to hospital.
It’s a sad situation,” he said, calling on councils to have emergency resources readily available for swift disaster response. Kasungu Municipality Mayor Hasting Nyirongo said the situation was equally worrying in urban areas, revealing that over 100 houses in the municipality have collapsed due to rainstorms. While Kasungu has so far avoided fatalities, the situation has been deadly elsewhere.
In Mzimba District, District Commissioner Emmanuel Bulukutu has warned communities against crossing swollen rivers after several people drowned while attempting to do so. Bulukutu issued the warning during a monitoring tour in Traditional Authority Khosolo, where he inspected flooded villages and damaged infrastructure, including roads, bridges and culverts. “We have registered deaths of people who drowned after attempting to cross swollen rivers.
People should avoid crossing swollen rivers because they risk being swept away by strong currents,” said Bulukutu. Two people from Chimulu Kasenga Village drowned while crossing the Rukuru River on their way back from maize fields, according to T/A Khosolo, who said the incident had shocked the community.
[/paywall]
