212 Homes Destroyed As Chambeshi Bursts Banks

The Chambeshi river has burst its banks, destroying 212 homes in the northern part of Shiwang’andu district and submerging roads and crops underwater. 

The flooding is the result of heavy downpours in the district this rainy season. 

Shiwang’andu District Council Chair Epilius Chisulo said about 1.5km of the Samfwa road is submerged, as well as the pontoon, effectively preventing boats from docking.

Motorists are unable to drive across the flooded sections of the road and travellers have been using boats to cross the river. 

Christopher Banda, the district administrative officer, said about 86 families had been affected by the flooding. 

One affected individual, Steven Kangwa of Walima village, appealed to the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) to help alleviate the suffering of his fellow villagers. 

Elsewhere, flooding in the Lunga district of Luapula province has left many families without reliable access to food and water.

Mathews Mhuru of the Civil Society Scaling up Nutrition Alliance said the situation could have been avoided if the government had invested in properly clearing water channels. 

He called the situation a wake-up call for the government and urged President Lungu to deal with the root causes of the flooding.