Chief Sinazongwe of the Tonga people has appealed to government to urgently assist Sinazongwe district which has been cut off from the rest of the country as result of floods.
The Chief said in a telephone interview that most of the houses in the district have collapsed, his people were starving because they have no where to buy food and their crops have been washed away.
Chief Sinazongwe who is also affected because his palace is surrounded by a stream that has burst its banks said the situation was pathetic because the volume of water was so high.
He said if it continued to rain water would start entering into people’s houses at his palace.
“Most of the crops have been swept away, shops are isolated and there is no mealie-meal, we are in trouble here government should come to our aid,” the Chief said.
He said most of the trucks that came to ferry coal from the Chinese Column mine in Sinazeze were stuck at Muziyo along Maamba/Batooka road because of the bridge that has been damaged.
However, Road Development Agency (RADA) Acting and Chief Executive Officer Erasmus Chilundika said in a telephone Interview from Lusaka that the Agency was working round the clock to ensure that the situation was addressed.
He said the people who are working on the collapsed bridges along the Maamba/Batooka road have faced the challenge of continues heavy rains a situation which has caused their machinery to get stuck in the Mud.
Mr. Chilunda said Sianvonga the water volume at Chilunda boarder post has increased though there was already a contractor working on the road.
[ZANIS]
