At least seven people have died, and more than 30,000 others have been affected in Malawi following the devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Chido, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
According to a preliminary assessment report from the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), the storm, which hit Malawi on Monday as a moderate tropical storm, caused heavy rains and flooding across 17 districts, primarily in the southern region.
The storm damaged schools, health facilities, and homes, leaving many residents in dire need of assistance.
DoDMA spokesperson Chipiliro Khamula reported that 7,721 households, representing 34,741 people, were affected. Salima district recorded three fatalities, while Kasungu, Machinga, Blantyre, and Lilongwe districts each reported one death. The storm also left 16 people injured.
Cyclone Chido originated in the Indian Ocean northeast of Madagascar before making landfall on Sunday near Nacala, Mozambique, where it displaced over 174,000 people and destroyed thousands of homes. The storm also impacted 64,000 people in the Comoros archipelago.
Malawi had suspended school classes as a precautionary measure on Sunday but resumed them after the storm weakened. Disaster response teams deployed to at-risk areas have now been withdrawn.
“The agency, in collaboration with humanitarian partners, is facilitating relief efforts to support affected households,” Khamula said.
As relief operations continue, officials remain vigilant for potential developments in the Indian Ocean. “Our eyes are on the Indian Ocean in case there will be another development. But so far, so good,” a DoDMA official noted.
