report of gis based flood risk assessment exercise inphalombe and zomba districts:

19 th – 25 th january, 2015

This report and the field work have been by the HOT Interns in Malawi: Justin Temwani Ng'ambi Triphonia Nzeru Ben Mlasaanthu Tiyanjane Khomba Silence Chirwa Samson Chanika

i. IntroductionThe Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) and Open StreetMapping (OSM) team, with support from the World Bank, under the GlobalFacility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), undertook flood riskassessment exercise in response to flooding that Phalombe and Zombadistricts have been experiencing since the onset of the 2014/ 2015 rainseason.The aim of the exercise was for the team to work in collaboration with thedistricts council assessment teams, to determine the major sources offlooding, causes of the flooding, extent of the flooding and sectors that havebeen affected.

The exercise was undertaken by Mrs. Mazonda from Surveys Department,Samuel Gama from the Department of Disaster Management Affairs andTriphonia Nzeru, Tiyanjane Khomba, Ben Mlasaathu Silence Chirwa, SamsonChanika andJustin Ng’ambi from OSM team

ii. Methodology The team mapped out all the sectors that got affected by flood and stormyrains in traditional authorities of the 2 districts. The team also carried outcase studies of the affected communities in order to apprehend the trends ofdisasters from the past and the present situations.

iii. ProceedingsThis report is, therefore, presenting how key sectors per district have beenaffected, number of people affected, geographical information systems of theinfrastructures affected as at 25th January, 2015 and recommendations:

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a. Over view of Phalombe district

Phalombe district received continuous stormy rains from 8th to 13th January,2015 causing flush floods which affected a number of areas. The floodsaffected Traditional Authorities of Chiwalo, Kaduya, Jenala, Nazombe,Nkhulambe and Nkhumba. The floods have caused damage to people’shouses, washed away crops and damaged infrastructures such as roads,bridges, schools and water points. As at 21st January, 2015, the districtrecorded 34,589 households as displaced and seeking shelter in primaryschools in various locations

Summary of extent of damage:

i. Infrastructure: Roads and bridges

Figure 1: Zomba- Phalombe via Jali roadThe figure below is the road from Zomba to Phalombe via Jali. The bridge hasbeen washed away making the road inaccessible. The flooding that washedaway the bridge also damaged houses in the villages of Mpisa and Mariko ofTraditional Authority Mwambo. The alternative route to get to Phalombe isthrough Chiradzulu or Thyolo districts.

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Figure 2: Misewu folo to Phalombe road

Figure below is the Mpasa bridge which has been washed away. This is 15kilometers before Phalombe boma from Misewu Folo.

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Figure 3 and 4: Bridge that connect to Chanasa Village

Figures below shows a cut off bridge that connects Chanasa village of T/ANkhumba from the main road. This was due to diverted water from ThuchiraRiver into the village due to breakage of the dyke that was constructedalong the river.

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Fig. 3 Washed away bridge at Chanasa village fig 4. Alternative route to cross theroad

In summary, some of the roads that have been completely cut off andbridges that have been washed away are as follows:

Route RemarksMigowi- Nambazo road via Matawa the road has been cut off;

Matawa via Lihaka road at Phaloni a stretch of 500 meters has beenwashed away

Phaloni via Nthambula road has been washed awayMigowi via kwa a Joni road, Namichimba bridge has been

washed away

Nkhulambe via Mpata road there are several cuts such that a3 tones truck cannot passthrough

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2.0. Agricultural sectors

The floods that occurred in the district have seriously affected theagricultural sector. A total of 7,705 hectares of 17,040 farming families havebeen completely washed away. The table below show the extension planningareas (EPA)that have been affected:

EPA NUMBER OF H/H AFFECTED TOTAL HECTARAGE Tamani 6713 4500Walumpinda 1538 400Naminjiwa 1741 870Waluma 1812 544Kasongo 1573 850Nkhulambe 3663 1391Total 17,040 7,705Source: Phalombe District Agricultural Office as at 24th January, 2015

Destroyed maize field in Kuchombe village, T/A Jenala, Phalombe

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4.0 Water and sanitation sector

The floods that occurred in the district has affected access to safe drinking-water and basic sanitation is being compromised. People are drawingdrinking water from unprotected and contaminated water sources, makingthem susceptible to water borne diseases such as cholera. The figure belowshows some of the community water points that have been affected.

One of the affected water point in Kuchombe village

5.0. Education sector

The flooding in Phalombe has heavily affected the education sector in thedistrict, since many houses have been destroyed and others heavilydamaged, the displaced persons are seeking refuge particularly in primaryschools in the district. Some of the school blocks have their roofs blown off,thereby affecting lessons. So far, over 37 camps have been established outof which 19 are primary schools, making pupils unable to attend classes.

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Sanitation in schools that have been used as camps are little to be desiredsince pupils are sharing toilets with the displaced people. The figure below isshowing situations in schools that have been used as camps:

One of the schools that is being used as a camp Mpasa primary school whose roof has been blownoff in Phalombe

6.0. Major sources of flooding in Phalombe district

The team learnt that Thuchila and Phalombe rivers are the major sources offlooding in Phalombe district. Almost 80% of the reported flooding caseswere as a result of the over flow of the 2 rivers, lack of proper housingconstruction, construction of weak dykes and unsustainable land usemanagement and deforestation were among others. The team also carriedout case studies of the affected communities in order to apprehend thetrends of disasters from the past and the present situations in the district.The following was what the team gathered from random interviews with thegroup village head men in the affected areas:

i. Lack of proper housing construction guidelines

It was noted that people are constructing houses with lower foundations, lowquality materials that cannot withstand stormy rains. Besides, some housesthat were destroyed by floods are built few meters away from the rivers. Thefigure below is the house that was built close to Thuchila river in Phalombedistrict.

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Some of the affected houses that were built close to Thuchila river

II. Wash away of a dyke

The dyke that was constructed along Thuchira river was washed away,making the water of the river to divert from its main course. The villages thatgot affected by the diverted waters are Katuma, Sadibwa, Mangoza ,Chanasa, Kuchombe, Pathewe, Kazombo and Pambachulu. The figures belowshow the dyke that has been washed away and some households that havebeen demolished by water.

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ii. Unsustainable land use management

The team also observed that people in Phalombe district are cultivatingalong the river banks and cutting down trees for firewood. The southern partof the district is mountainous, making the surrounding villages susceptible tothe impacts of strong winds. Due to the high rate of deforestation, stormyrains that were experienced in the district destructed a lot of houses. Thiswas mainly experienced in traditional authority Chiwalo, affecting groupvillages of Mlambe, Mtemanyama, Nthambula, Chimbalanya, Nambala andChiwalo affecting 2,343 households. The figures below show the houses thatgot affected by stormy rains and also poor farming practices that contributedto the wash away of crops:

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b. Over view of Zomba district

Zomba district received continuous rains from 9th to 17th January, 2015causing flush floods which affected a number of areas. The floods affectedTraditional Authorities (T/As) of Mwambo, Kuntumanji, Ntholowa, Mbiza,Nkapita, Nkagula, Ngwerero, Chikowi and Mlumbe. The floods affected24,103 households and washed away 5,565.2 hectares of 19,309 farminghouseholds. A total of 36 camps have been established in primary schoolsand churches with 2073 people (974 male, 1099 female) displaced. Anumber of sectors including Water, Health, Agriculture, Education and othershave been seriously affected. Out of these, the highly affectedinfrastructures in the district, unlike Phalombe, include roads and bridges.Education sector has alsobeen affected as most of the primary schools arebeing occupied by displaced people.

Summary of extent of damage in Zomba district

1. Infrastructure: Roads and Bridges

Fig : Likangala and Didimu bridges: The figure below is the Zomba- Jaliroad. As a result of heavy rains that resulted in the flooding of the Likangalariver, two bridges on the same route have been cut off making it impossible

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to connect through villages of Didimu, Gibson, Chilunga, Mpyupu andChamba.

Likangala bridge Didimu bridge

Some of the roads connecting the villages around Likangala River wereseverely damaged by the rains and floods as such they were not accessible.However, the team did not make it to other areas due to impassable roads.

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Mpyupyu bridges

2.0. Buildings

Most of the houses that were affected by the rains and the floods in thevillages around Likangala in Zomba were in the villages that were notaccessed by the field team due to bad road conditions. However, only a fewdamaged houses were visible in the villages that were accessed by the team.It should be noted though that most of the houses in the areas that were notaccessed were heavily damaged by the rains and the floods. These areasinclude Pirimiti, Chilunga, St. Pauls, Namatamba, Sekwere, Matando, Ntonda,Namiwawa, Maula, Mitole, Chiphola, Muhasuwa and Chikhwangwa. Thefigure below shows one of the damaged houses around the villages inZomba.

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One of the damaged houses in Zomba

iii.1. Agriculture Sector in ZombaUnlike Phalombe district, the floods that occurred in Zomba district haveseriously affected the agricultural sector. A total of 28,173 hectares of10,662.9 farming families have been completely washed away. The tablebelow show the extension planning areas (EPA) that have been affected:

EPA NUMBER OF H/H AFFECTED TOTAL HECTARAGE Chingale 747 145.2Masaula 2281 699Likangala 3230 3894Nsondole 744 27Ngwerero 871 331Malosa 991 1.5Dzaone 19,309 5565.2

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Total 28,173 10,662.9

Source: District Agricultural Office, Zomba: 23rd January, 2015

Some of the washed away crop fields in Zomba district

RecommendationsFrom the flood extent exercise that was conducted in the two districts, thetea is recommending the following:

There is need to conduct a thorough analysis and develop planningframework for Thuchila and Phalombe rivers in Phalombe, and forLikangala river in Zomba district, to improve land and watermanagement for ecosystem and livelihood benefits in target areas;

There is need to intensify safer housing construction with keymessages on building houses with raised foundations and with durablematerials and building houses atleast 30 meters away from the riverbase;

There is need for introduction of afforestation programmes in the twodistricts;

There is need for quick repairing and construction of bridges for easyaccess to the affected areas;

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There is need to intensify sanitation programmes targeting people incamps in the two district;

There is need for the provision of early maturing crops to the peoplewhose crops have been washed away;

There is need to intensify prevention and control of disease outbreakssuch as cholera, dysentery and malaria;

Mobilize and operate plants (mobile water treatment plant and watertank truck) to affected areas;

There is need for quick construction of temporary latrines (one latrinefor every 20 persons) and hand washing facilities to provide adequatesanitation for displaced people;

There is need to undertake sanitary surveys of contaminated drinkingwater sources; and

There is need for distribution of supplies and commodities such asinsecticide treated nets (ITNs), chlorine-based products for watertreatment, emergency contraceptives, condoms, and nutrition andtherapeutic supplements.

Way forward

The OSM team to upload all the way points collected on Open StreetMap.

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