A monthly Lake Malawi bulletin produced by Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development’s Department of Water Resources says water levels on the lake are expected to continue withdrawing in October as significant rainfall is not expected in the catchment area or on the surface.
According to the bulletin, water levels on the lake continued to recede during September as the levels dropped by 14 centimetres (cm) between the first day and the last day of the month, which is slightly higher than the normal drop (13cm) for September in the past 50 years.
The bulletin suggests that the month registered slightly more than the normal amount of evaporation on the lake’s surface.
“The level drop for the month was exactly the same as the level drop for September last year. Mean level for the month was 473.30 masl, which was 1.33m below normal mean level for the month for the past 50 years. However, the mean level for the month was the same as the mean level September 2016,” reads in part the bulletin.
Malawians across the country are experiencing persistent load-shedding which has been attributed to low water levels in Lake Malawi and Shire River.