Why Malawi is failing to protect people from floods and what needs to be done

India, March 20 -- Severe floods in Malawi have affectedabout a million people and claimed 56 lives

Severe floods in Malawi have affected about a million people and claimed 56 lives.

This isn't uncommon in the country. Between 1946 and 2013, floods accounted for 48 per cent of major disasters, and their frequency and severity is increasing. They have occurred in 16 out of the country's 28 districts, in both rural and urban areas. The Lower Shire Valley in southern Malawi, bordering Mozambique, composed of Chikwawa and Nsanje Districts is the most flood prone and affected area.

Floods stifle development efforts at every level. They affect many sectors from agriculture to sanitation, environment and education. The combined effects of flood...