Maravi

(DAILY MAIL) Floods response plan put in place

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Floods response plan put in place
By KANGWA MULENGA

GOVERNMENT has developed a contingency plan targeting 31 districts to respond effectively to the floods the country might experience during this rainy season.

Vice President George Kunda said government in collaboration with cooperating partners has established various forms of mitigating responses covering health, water, sanitation, accommodation, food, communication, education and infrastructure.

“Arising from the 2008-09 meteorological forecast, government working together with cooperating partners and some stakeholders has prepared a number of preparedness activities to respond to any floods should they occur,” Mr Kunda said.

He was speaking at a press briefing held at his office in Lusaka yesterday.

Mr Kunda said the contingency plan would also help to minimise the impact of floods on the affected populations.

He said the Disaster Management and Mitigating Unit (DMMU) has issued notices to its provincial and district disaster management committees requesting them to monitor and timely report any floods.

“I wish to assure the nation, therefore, that the government is actively and continuously assessing the situation and is defining the appropriate responses. We are grateful to our cooperating partners for their continued support,” Mr Kunda said.

He said 14 teams from the Zambia Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZAMVAC) were dispatched to 34 districts to assess food insecurity.

Mr Kunda said ZAMVAC would also cover Southern Province to assess the gravity of food insecurity following reports that people were surviving on wild roots.

He also said the Ministry of Health has made preparations at national level to respond effectively to any cholera outbreak and that the DMMU would be on stand by to give support should need arise.

Mr Kunda said eight districts in Southern Province would be covered by the vulnerability assessment committee because of the impact left by the floods in the last rainy season.

Labels: DMMU, FLOODS, GEORGE KUNDA

posted by MrK @ 10:52 AM