At Least 17 Dead as Floods in Zambia Continue
Posted on January 24, 2008 - Filed Under Zambia |
iConflict contributor Henry Namwenda emailed us an update on the massive unseasonable floods that are ravishing parts of Zambia. Many in the country have attributed these heavy rains to global warming since rain this time of year on a scale like this is a new occurrence. While there has been good coverage of the violence in Kenya, the flooding here remains largely an uncovered story. Henry gave us his first report on the flooding last week. Since that time the crisis has escalated as the outbreak of waterborne illnesses such as cholera now becomes a real threat.
The following is Henry’s report:
As the situation of floods worsen in zambian southern province,with rainfall above normal, Seventeen people drowned in a man-made lake in Zambia when their canoe capsized due to heavy rains, officials said on Monday, adding that flooding in the country was expected to get worse.
“Seventeen people were confirmed dead after a canoe capsized on the man-made lake (Lusiwasi) where water has risen abnormally because of the heavy rains,” Ackimson Banda, junior minister for Zambia´s Central Province, said 13 of the victims were members of one family.
Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi have been lashed by heavy rains for several weeks. Swollen rivers have burst their banks, killing dozens and forcing thousands of villagers to flee flooded homes.
Jacob Nkomoki the deputy director of Zambia’s Meteorological Department said more flooding was expected from heavier rains forecast in traditionally higher rain belts in the country’s northern region. Nkomoki said three of Zambia’s nine provinces were expected to receive heavier rains.
“We are forecasting heavier falls in the Northern, Luapula and Copperbelt provinces. The expected heavy rains can bring flash floods … it will then flow downstream to southern parts where there is likely to be floods caused by water flow,” Nkomoki said on state ZNBC television.
Zambia declared a national disaster last week and officials said they feared the outbreak of waterborne diseases such as cholera.
The government has appealed for $13 million (6.7 million pounds) in emergency funds from Western donors to cope with the crisis and the Road Development Agency (RDA) said it planned to spend about $15.6 million to construct new roads after the flood damage.
Zambian authorities have closed schools, converting them into shelters for those displaced. Some refugees are living in tents provided by the government and relief agencies.
In Malawi, authorities said the death toll from the floods had risen to four on Monday after one person was swept away by swelling flood waters while trying to cross a river. “The last four days have seen four people dead and 520 more families left homeless as the Shire and Mwanza rivers continue to rise,” Lawford Palani, the District Commissioner for Chikwawa told Reuters.
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