Five people have been killed due to effects of the rains in Mchinji and Nkhotakota as some parts of the country are receiving first rains this planting season.

Two people have died and several others injured, following heavy rains that were experienced on Thursday in Mchinji district.

Disaster authorities say at least 200 households from traditional authorities Simphasi and Mavwere have been affected.

Relief and Rehabilitation Officer for the district Violet Jimu said the affected households need humanitarian assistance as most of their belongings have been damaged.

Mchinji becomes the fourth district to be affected by stormy rains following reports of similar incidences in Machinga, Balaka and Chitipa.

The Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services gave a forecast that on Wednesday 17 November 2022 some central region districts will experience heavy thunderstorms with a wind speed of 22 kilometres per hour.

In Nkhotakota, lightning has killed three members of one family while two others have sustained injuries, in Nkhotakota.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Friday, in Tandwe Village in the area of Traditional Authority Malengachanzi.

Nkhotakota Police Station Public Relations Officer, Sergeant Paul Malimwe, has identified the three as Suwedi Malingamoyo aged 30, Mwajuma Saidi aged 28 and 7 year- old Abdul Malingamoyo.

"Five people who happen to be of one family were sleeping in a house. Unfortunately, lightning struck, the house caught fire leaving three dead and two injured" , he said.

The police publicist, says results of a postmortem show that death was due to cardiogenic electric shock.