Weak housing struactures worsening the effects of floods – Hakayobe

Southern Province Permanent Secretary,
Darius Hakayobe has said weak house structures are contributing
to the increasing number of collapsing houses.

Mr. Hakayobe said this when he toured the flooded areas in Livingstone district.

He said most houses could not withstand the water due to their poor
structural standards.

He called on councillors to work with Rural Development Committees and
engineers to ensure that people construct strong structures to
avoid disasters.

And Mr. Hakayobe has said very little attention was paid to the
meteorological department’s weather predictions.

“We did not heed the meteorological department. Some of these
situations could have been avoided,” he said.

Mr. Hakayobe however has assured all affected families of tents,
drugs, treated bed nets and food stuffs to help mitigate their
sufferings.

And Mr Hakayobe has ordered the Livingstone City Council
to ensure a speedy re-design and improvement of the drainage system
that he said are causing flooding in most parts of the city.

Mr. Hakayobe said all drainages should be re-dug to minimize flooding
that is caused by blocked drainages.

He also said the council should repair culverts and bridges that
are posing danger to the community.

Mr. Hakayobe who feared for the lives of people especially grade one
pupils who have to cross flooded streams when going to school, said
efforts to manage natural calamities should continue.

“More rains are expected in the coming months therefore we should get
down to work and improve the road network in affected areas,” he said.

The PS was speaking yesterday during a tour of the flood affected
areas in Dambwa Site and Service and other affected wards.

Mr. Hakayobe called for a strengthened Disaster Management and
Mitigation Unit and the cooperation of the private sector in order to
contain the situation.

He further called for the sensitization of the community in order to
ensure no more lives are lost.

And Livingstone councillors have commended government for responding to
disaster situations speedily.

Simonga ward councillor Joram Mwiinda who is also Livingstone City
Deputy Mayor said the exhibited government’s quick response to
natural calamities should be commended.

Mr. Mwiinda said there is need to conduct thorough works after the
rains and to plan ahead in order to avoid flooding in future.

He said more resources need to be mobilized and called on the
business community to plough back into the community in order to
assist flood victims.

And Zambezi ward councilor, Philemon Musonda said government’s quick
response is a sign that it has the interest of the people at heart.

He commended Sun International Hotel for coming on board to assist
the disaster victims.

And Mr. Musonda has appealed to the parents to ensure the safety of
young ones who risk being swept by run off water and being attacked
by crocodiles.

Crocodiles believed to been swimming up stream from the Zambezi River
have been sighted in flooded dwellings on the Dambwa river bed.

The councilors were speaking during the tour of affected areas and
families.
……………..
And a disabled person whose house has been surrounded by flood waters
for over two months has called for the council to pump out water from
his premise and urged the council to improve the drainage system in
townships.

Leonard Kashimba of Zambezi Sawmills who has stacked bags of sand at
his door step to prevent water from entering his house said poor
drainage system is contributing to the flood situation in his area.

And Brandina Kambwa whose house has been completely surrounded by
water since November said the situation is a health hazard.

Ms Brandina said the flood waters are a breeding ground for
mosquitoes.

More than 400 houses have been affected and bridges washed away
following heavy and continuous rains that Livingstone has been
receiving.