The remnants of Tropical Cyclone Chido have wreaked havoc across Malawi, claiming seven lives and displacing nearly 35,000 individuals, the country’s Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) reported on Tuesday. The cyclone, which made landfall in neighbouring Mozambique on Sunday before weakening, left a trail of destruction across Malawi’s southern and central regions, underscoring the country’s enduring vulnerability to extreme weather events.
DoDMA Commissioner Charles Kalemba confirmed the fatalities in a statement, indicating that the deaths were recorded across five districts. The scale of devastation escalated sharply from Monday, when the department had reported fewer than 2,000 affected households. The latest figures point to a grim rise, with 7,721 households—totalling 34,741 individuals—now grappling with the cyclone’s aftermath.
In addition to the loss of life, 16 injuries have been documented, while widespread infrastructural damage has been reported across at least 20 local councils, including the capital, Lilongwe. Buildings, both public and private, bore the brunt of Chido’s force, with winds tearing roofs from homes and vital infrastructure. The storm’s reach, though brief, was profound, leaving families stranded and entire communities in limbo.
Malawi’s government, through DoDMA, mobilised swift response efforts alongside the Malawi Red Cross Society and other humanitarian agencies. Search and rescue operations, previously on high alert, have since been decommissioned as authorities declared the immediate risk over. Schools across the affected southern districts reopened on Tuesday following their closure a day prior, with officials assuring that conditions had sufficiently stabilised.
The Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services clarified on Monday that Cyclone Chido had exited Malawi and no longer posed a threat. However, the remnants of the system served as a sombre reminder of the recurrent nature of cyclonic activity in the region, exacerbated by changing climatic patterns.
Despite improved preparedness measures in recent years, Malawi remains acutely susceptible to extreme weather, with its southern regions particularly prone to cyclones originating from the Indian Ocean. The devastation wrought by Chido mirrors the challenges faced by its predecessor storms, underscoring the pressing need for enhanced infrastructure resilience and disaster management strategies to mitigate future impacts.
As families begin the arduous task of rebuilding their lives, the response from local and international humanitarian organisations remains critical. For many, the physical damage inflicted by the cyclone is secondary to its human cost—a poignant reflection of vulnerability in the face of nature’s capriciousness.
The aftermath of Cyclone Chido stands as yet another challenge for Malawi, a nation grappling with frequent weather-related disruptions that disproportionately affect its most vulnerable citizens.
