By Joel Phiri

Mzimba, March 6, Mana: At least 431 people at Jenda Trading Centre in Mzimba are in need of roofing materials and food aid following destruction of their houses last week.

The people, particularly those residing at Section 10 location, had their houses destroyed by heavy rains that fell in the district for four consecutive days leaving some houses totally demolished with others partially destroyed.

In an interview on Tuesday, Acting Relief and Rehabilitation Officer for M’mbelwa District Council, Jacob Mkandawire, said the situation rendered the people homeless hence the need for help.

“We sent our team which established that over 431 people were affected. Most families lost their food and are in need of immediate food aid for survival and also roofing materials to reconstruct their houses,” said Mkandawire.

Mkandawire said they have already alerted the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) and Malawi Red Cross Society on the need for relief.

According to Chairperson for Section 10 location, Jita Hara, most of the families that lost their houses have been accommodated in well-wishers’ houses.

“After the disaster, we identified houses where we allocated the affected families. We have, for instance, a single house housing four or five families,” said Hara.

Hara asked well-wishers to donate to the affected families tents and roofing materials for reconstruction.  

“We know that where many families are sharing a single house, sanitation is always compromised. As such, we don’t want them to continue sharing houses for long for fear of diseases that may sprout due to lack of hygiene in the homes,” said Hara.

According to Hara, two young people sustained injuries when the houses collapsed.