Severe Flooding in Southern Malawi
January 19, 2015
With 176 dead and 200,000 displaced, people in Malawi continue to suffer from the worst flooding ever recorded in the country's history. Constant heavy rainfall exacerbated by the Tropical Cyclone Bansi produced dangerous flooding in the southern region of the country. Over half of the state has been declared a disaster zone and the death toll is expected to rise. As people still trapped by the flood continue to fight for survival, UNICEF reached out to Water Missions International’s Malawi staff to help assess the situation.
Alongside the threat of flooding is the danger of disease. With receding water comes the threat of a cholera outbreak, which is caused by a lack of safe water and uncontrollable sewage contaminating the entire area. Will Furlong, Director of Africa Programs, explained WMI’s response, “During times like this it’s all hands on deck; whatever gets the job done to prevent people from dying of diseases like cholera.”
Receiving aid from UNICEF has allowed WMI to move forward with plans to implement eight sites for water treatment systems throughout the devastated region. When asked why UNICEF turns to WMI in times of need Furlong said, “We’re a high-quality implementation partner; when we implement projects we implement according to high engineering and community development standards and are able to respond on an urgent basis.”
WMI solidified its relationship with UNICEF as a valuable partner last year when WMI responded to floods in the northern region of Malawi. Water Missions is currently working alongside UNICEF on 28 projects. Originally asked to produce 14 water filtration sites in two years, WMI doubled the offer to 28 in two years with the whole project costing just over 2 million dollars.
WMI is continuing to monitor the situation as it develops and is in constant communication with UNICEF while implementing a solution to this tragedy currently overwhelming the people of Malawi.
Click here to give to our disaster response efforts.
Related Impact Stories
