14 households have been left homeless after their houses collapsed in Solwezi while 74 other houses are on the verge of collapsing in Kimasala area,Solwezi district after a heavy down pour experienced in the district earlier this week.
The affected family members are since calling on government to come to their aid with any form of assistance.
Ms Evelyn Chitambala taking care of 7 grandchildren explained that her house collapsed after a heavy down pour and this has left her vulnerable with no shelter over her head.
The needy looking woman has asked government to find a way of relocating them to another place as the area is water logged, the toilets and shallow wells have all been filled up with water posing a risk to the community with water bone diseases.
Others appealed to government to assist them with relief tents as they have remained homeless.
Solwezi District Commissioner Crispin Likando who visited the area on Wednesday said the people will be provided with chlorine to disinfect the water.
Mr. Likando who was accompanied by Disaster Management and mitigation Unit DMMU regional Coordinator Peter Kabaso gave out one relief tent to the widow who’s house collapsed.
Mr. Kabaso said the region will mobilise 7 more tents from across the province to assist those critically affected further stating that the tent was not a permanent solution but just a relief as government looks at other measures of helping the affected families.
And Speaking after inspecting the area, North Western province permanent secretary Amos Malupenga said it is the duty of government to ensure people live in decent areas.
Mr Malupenga who described the situation as a looming epidemic Disaster said the government will intervene in the matter and find immediate alternatives to safeguard the lives of the people.
He has asked the local authority to identify land where the people would be relocated to if the situation worsens and a way of avoiding the looming epidemic disaster in the western part of Kimasala compound about 5 km from town centre.
Mr Malupenga has assured that government will do everything possible to avert the situation that has left 14 families homeless with other 74 on the line to loose their houses due to excessive rains being experienced in the district.
Meanwhile, Provincial water officer George Njobvu said the area is saturated and the water tables are very high leading in the floods.
Mr Njobvu stated that there is no infiltration in the area due to lack of drainages that would drain the waters.
Yabija bakani
If you want to eat fastest from GRZ, just build a house near a river or a make shift type anywhere before rains begin. Guy Scott is there to take care of you when the structure collapses due to heavy rains or floods.
Look at our lucky coleagues who built their houses along Mufuchani River in Kitwe. They all have houses built for them complete with electricity and running water. Good Churches have also been built for them.
Sadly Tutntemba Churches did not see properly through their prophetic eyes, I bet they would have also built there.
Who is talking about title deeds?
It is really sad to be left homeless and especially when the govt has not put in place emergence solutions for such kinda catastrophes. It is high time the govt embarked on project of building houses. Since independence the govts have not seriously dealt with the issue of accommodation and hence ghettos mushrooming everywhere. Basic needs such as shelter must be a priority and surely the govt has the capacity to take on such projects instead of wasting resources building stadiums that do not bring any benefit to the majority citizens.
Companies build houses and hand the over to the buyers. In this situation I think the foundation was shallow or poor quality of building materials and or bricks inclusive.
Or self build huts NOT houses : (
Observer you are brain dead. Why do you village animals want to politicised literally anything in life?
HRH, no need to fume at me in that manner, I explicitly said all the previous govts have failed to provide shelter for citizens which is the truth. Politicizing everything, please read the definition of that word and you will understand that politics is everything including what you are doing here. Please be polite this is a forum for sharing ideas and not calling people names!
Some human species have not evolved beyond the ability of a Beaver!
poor geotechnical considerations in design.