ShelterBox responding after people’s homes submerged by floodwater in Malawi
The Cornish-based international disaster relief charity says thousands of people remain displaced
An emergency response team from a Cornish-based international disaster relief charity is to begin distributing emergency shelter aid in Malawi.
It's after homes were damaged and washed away by severe flooding caused by heavy rainfall over the last month.
ShelterBox is warning that more than 12,000 people remain displaced across central Malawi, with many homes still submerged by flood waters following heavy rains.
The charity say a "relentless cycle" of flooding, cyclones, and droughts is devastating communities in the landlocked nation.
Following the floods, areas of the country in southeastern Africa are now facing drought, caused by El Nino, with Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera declaring a state of disaster in 23 districts.
ShelterBox say people also haven’t had time to recover from Cyclone Freddy in 2023, Cyclone Idai in 2019, or a series of floods over the past 10 years.
Aid pre-positioned
A ShelterBox response team has been working with local people and CARE Malawi to move the aid to a warehouse in central Malawi.
Together they will distribute tarpaulins, tools, water filters, solar lights, and other essential items in the coming days.
ShelterBox response team lead, Martin Strutton says: "Where the flood water is starting to recede, it’s revealing the true scale of damage to homes and belongings that many people don’t have the resources to repair or replace.
"Having aid already stored in a warehouse following Cyclone Freddy is allowing us to respond relatively quickly with tarpaulins, groundsheets, and tools, so that people can start making their damaged homes watertight."
Families still living in camps following Cyclone Freddy
The flooding happened during the day when many people were at work, so many families were separated.
As well as houses, roads, bridges, and crops have been destroyed making it harder for people to access food, water, and shelter.
While some people are now living in schools and other community buildings or with host families, thousands more seek refuge in displacement camps.
There are still families living in camps following Cyclone Freddy in 2023 and there is a shortage of tents, tarpaulins, and household items.
ShelterBox say the distributions will support thousands of people in Nkhotakota district who are unable to return home.
Martin adds: "Floods, storms, and droughts are getting worse, hitting the same places more often, and lasting longer. People often don’t have time to recover from one emergency before the next takes its toll.
"That’s why our focus is supporting flood affected communities to return home, avoiding people from living out in the open in unplanned camps.
"People are losing their homes, as well as their crops and livelihoods because of flooding and drought. We’re also working with our partners, government agencies, the Malawian Red Cross Society, and Rotary to find ways to mitigate the impact of future floods."
As well as Malawi, ShelterBox is supporting people displaced by drought in Somalia as well as conflict around the world, including in Gaza, Yemen, Syria, Burkina Faso, and Mozambique.
Since 2000, the charity has supported more than 2.5 million people across the world with different combinations of emergency shelter aid.