Malawi declares national disaster after killer floods

Dozens of people are dead or missing in floods in Malawi which have also hit neighbouring Mozambique.

Flooding caused by torrential rain killed 48 people and displaced 70000 in Malawi, and disrupted power supplies and transport links in Mozambique.

A military rescue mission from South Africa leaves for Mozambique today.

The defence force said it was sending two Oryx helicopters, navy divers and medical personnel.

A group of 25 school children in Mozambique was reportedly swept away by torrents on Monday, and 18 other children were reported missing.

Malawian President Peter Mutharika declared a state of national disaster after floods in 15 of the country's 28 districts affected 47000 households.

He appealed to the international community for help, including temporary housing and food.

Nine people died in Malawi's commercial capital, Blantyre, and scores of others were missing, Anthony Kasunda, a spokesman for the city assembly, said yesterday.

Malawi's meteorological office said the rains were likely to continue until the weekend and more flooding was expected.

Vice-President Saulos Chilima said rescue efforts were being stepped up.

''We have six boats in Nsanje [district] and five more [on the way].

''On Tuesday a rescue helicopter sent to Nsanje had to turn back because of bad weather. We now have two defence force helicopters but they are having difficulty in landing because of the flood waters. As soon as the water levels come down, they will be up and running," Chilima said in the capital, Lilongwe.

As many as 820 people in Nsanje district were rescued by boats yesterday.

Floodwaters and debris forced the shutdown of generators at Malawi's Tedzani and Nkula power stations. About 124MW of the national grid's 351MW were unavailable, Blantyre's Nation newspaper said yesterday.

In neighbouring Mozambique, the northern provinces of Nampula, Zambezia, Niassa and Cabo Delgado have been disconnected from the national power grid since Monday evening. The power break is expected to last for at least a week, state utility Electricidade de Mocambique said yesterday.

The nation's main north-south highway has been severed at the town of Mocuba, in Zambezia.