Western Province floods wreak havoc
By Adrian Mwanza
DISASTER Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) National Coordinator Norman Chipakupaku says floods have affected 10 districts in Western Province.
In a statement issued yesterday, Chipakupaku confirmed the disaster following an aerial assessment to evaluate the extent of damage caused by the recent heavy rains in the region.
“Following an aerial assessment conducted to determine the extent of the disaster and guide emergency response efforts, I wish to state that Western Province has been hit by the disaster. The floods are critical,” he said shortly after leading a team comprising Western Province Permanent Secretary Sebastian Akapelwa and other senior government officials.
Chipakupaku said the floods had spread widely across the province and called for an urgent emergency response.
He said his team had conducted assessments in seven districts and described the scale of the damage as unprecedented.
“The flooding is widespread across the province’s flood plain areas, and the mission assessed seven districts Kalabo, Sikongo, Nalolo, Sioma, Senanga, Mongu and Mitete, where rising water levels had submerged crop fields, road networks and residential structures. The damage is imaginable,” he said.
Chipakupaku said the heavy rans had washed away maize fields and homes in Kalabo, Nalolo and Sikongo.
He said many households were among the hardest hit as rising water levels continued to inundate low-lying areas.
Chipakupaku said District Disaster Management Committees (DDMCs) had already carried out rapid ground assessments in areas that were accessible, and evacuations of affected families were underway.
He said the government through the DMMU, was scaling up relief efforts, including the deployment of additional tents, boats for evacuations, and the distribution of food and water treatment supplies from headquarters.
“These supplies include beans, soya chunks, cooking oil, salt and chlorine for water purification to support families affected by the flood. In addition, DMMU is working with cooperating partners such as the World Food Programme (WFP) through ADRA to distribute relief food in Sesheke, Sioma and Senanga districts,” Chipakupaku said.
He said the continued coordination between his office, the defence forces, local authorities and cooperating partners was critical in monitoring water levels and scaling up humanitarian assistance across the province.
