Maravi

Floods displace 600 in Mambwe

COMMENT - There should be no floods in Zambia. With just a little investment in small scale irrigation, water can be harvested and be available for agriculture throughout the year. There has to be a potitical will to do so. It would also create a lot of jobs.

Floods displace 600 in Mambwe
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Tue 21 Feb. 2012, 11:59 CAT

OVER 600 people have been left homeless by flash floods that have hit Mambwe district. In an interview yesterday, Eastern Province permanent secretary Hlobota Nkunika said 100 households have been affected by the floods in Chikowa area in chief Jumbe's chiefdom.

He said the flash floods that hit the area around 01:00 hours last Wednesday have left 600 people homeless.

He, however, indicated that the government through the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) had provided tents, food and insecticide - treated mosquito nets to the affected people.

Nkunika further explained that the affected people have moved from the flooded area to upper lands.

He said the DMMU had been put on high alert to attend to any major calamity that might occur in chief Jumbe's area.

"Like I have said food is already pre-positioned there, so I can simply say we are ready for any eventualities," Nkunika said.

He, however, expressed concern that the heavy rains experienced yesterday could cause other flash floods in the valley district of Mambwe.

Nkunika is today expected to travel to Mambwe to check on the affected people and see how they were adapting in the new place.

Flash floods have also hit Chama district in Muchinga Province.

District commissioner Josphat Lombe said the government was doing everything possible to mitigate the suffering of the affected people.

Labels: FLOODS

posted by MrK @ 4:42 PM