By Andrew Mkonda

Lilongwe, July 4, Mana: Director of Planning and Development for Lilongwe District Council, Willard Chirwa, has stressed the need for members of the community in the district to be vigilant in preventing disasters by, among other things, avoiding cultivating and constructing along river banks.

He made the call Wednesday in Mponela during the opening of a three-day training workshop aimed at equipping members of District Disaster Risk Management Committee (DDRMC) on their roles and responsibilities in disaster management.

“Natural disasters will always be there, but we need to be vigilant and take precautionary measures to avoid effects of these disasters,” he said.

Chirwa urged the participants to take the training seriously saying it will assist them to understand what to do in responding to different disasters that may occur in the district.

Lilongwe District Disaster Risk Management Officer, Anganile Mbisa Kalonga, said it is sad that many people last year and early this year lost their property due to hailstorms.

Kalonga urged people in the district to start conserving the environment and build resilient houses that can withstand such disasters.

One of the community members in the area of Traditional Authority Kalolo, Peter Mbewe, said wanton cutting down of trees for charcoal production is a major challenge that is causing disasters in the district.

“In the past, when we were conserving the environment, we hardly experienced such disasters. We need to change our mindset in order to reduce these disasters,” he said

3,000 households were affected by disasters last year in Lilongwe district.