Facing extreme heat, irregular rains and rising lakes
In my local community, in Malawi we're experiencing the effects of climate change particularly extreme heat wave, irregular rainfall and rising water levels in lake Malawi.
For example during heat season, areas that are naturally at higher altitudes such as chikwawa sometimes experience temperature as high as 45°c which makes daily life very challenging. The extreme heat not only affects not only human health, dehydration and heat stress but also agricultural activities such as crops struggling to survive.
The rain seasons have become unpredictable, with irregular rainfall patterns making it difficult for famers to plan planting and harvesting,
Another major issues is the rising levels of lake Malawi which has caused flooding of beach houses and nearby settlements. This flooding does not only affect the infrastructures but also disrupts local livelihoods , especially for families that depends on fishing and tourism.
The community and the local government have responded by raising awareness about climate risks and early warning systems for flooding
By creating initiatives that are mainly dealing with climate change by planting trees and creating drainages systems to reduce flooding impacts