On 24th and 25th January 2022, most parts of Southern Malawi were severely hit by heavy persistent rains and strong winds due to the influence of Tropical Storm Ana.
The tropical storm, that originated in the Indian Ocean, North-East of Madagascar, made landfall in Malawi on 25th January 2022, through the Southern Region in Malawi. The storm has now affected a total of 49,214 households (270,677 people) and left 11 people dead and 107 with injuries. The scale of devastation is so unprecedented that on 26th January 2022, the President declared a state of disaster over the affected districts.
Tropical storm ANA-induced disaster caused widespread floods and displaced thousands of people. The storm has damaged power, road, and communications infrastructure disrupted schools, destroyed homes, washed away crops, and contaminated water sources like boreholes, wells, and other WASH facilities.
The stormy rains have largely affected many districts in the Southern Region, with Mulanje, Phalombe, Thyolo, Blantyre City, Zomba, Neno, Machinga, Mangochi, Balaka, Chikwawa and Nsanje, and Mwanza among the worst hit.
Thousands of households in these districts are hosted in school and church compounds/camps and others are hosted by relatives.
ACT Malawi Forum national members CARD and ELDS are planning to conduct a rapid assessment and plan to submit a rapid response fund request to support the affected.
