Floods Devastate Malawi

Malawi, a Pennsylvania-size nation bordering Tanzania, Zambia, and Mozambique in southeast Africa, is experiencing the worst flooding in its history. Hundreds of people have been killed, and hundreds of thousands have been displaced. Floodwaters are destroying roads and bridges and other infrastructure and have devastated much of this year’s corn crop, Malawi’s staple food.

“In some towns, we have churches under 10 feet of water,” reports Assemblies of God missionary Bill Johnston. “Entire villages have been swept away. In one village 183 people are not accounted for.”

CNN reports as many as 200,000 people in Malawi’s southern tip are cut off by the flooding. Aid groups are struggling to provide needed food, clean water, and health care.

Malawi is one of the poorest nations in the world, with the majority of its 13 million people at risk of malnutrition during a normal year. With the loss of a stable crop, this risk will multiply.

“Please join us in prayer for those who have lost so much,” Johnston says.

“Our hearts are burdened with our brothers and sisters in Malawi over this national disaster,” says Greg Beggs, AGWM Africa regional director. “The church in Malawi is strong, and we believe God will create new inroads for the gospel out of this tragedy.”

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Article image used under Creative Commons licensing from ILRI on Flickr.

Scott Harrup

Scott Harrup is senior editor at Convoy of Hope. He previously served as managing editor of the Pentecostal Evangel.