Rain!

The rains have arrived in Zomba! I was down in Chikwawa in the Lower Shire River, enjoying scorching 44*C weather while Zomba received rain. Everyone's been waiting for the rain to start planting their maize.

The only place that did not need rain was Namasalima. But they got rain. And all the water from upstream as well. So just 8 hours after the rain, water came over the partially completed dike. My colleague Edgar was there as it came over the top and captured it on his phone camera.

the dike holding back the water

minutes later, the water flowing over the dike

It's hard to believe that one rainfall not only brought water to the dike, but also overflowed it. With only 8 days left the race against time is on. And the work is at least twice as hard now, bagging wet soil and carrying it through deep water and mud. (the frogs were celebrating though, very loud! and lots of birds too, ironic how water brings life and disaster)

this morning, the work continues

Namasalima is not the only place affected by heavy rain. We heard at the market this morning that 90 houses have collapsed because of the heavy rain (apparently it was on the radio). It looks like disaster has struck with just the first rainfall.

People are planting maize everywhere. Really, the people of Namasalima should not be working on the dike project right now. They should be in their fields planting their maize, but now they're having to do both.