Government has stepped up efforts in getting relief food to more than one thousand people displaced by floods in Kaputa through the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) that has released 12 tonnes of maize.
A boat has also been deployed to the area after a bridge on the Mporokoso-Kaputa Road collapsed.
Northern Province minister Freedom Sikazwe said a Zambian National Service (ZNS) land development unit based in Mansa in Luapula Province has also been dispatched to assess and put up an emergency temporary crossing.
“As far as food is concerned the disaster management unit has begun distributing the relief food a fact that was confirmed to me by the district commissioner in Kaputa,” Mr Sikazwe said.
While 30 tents had been put up to provide shelter to the 1063 were left homeless after their homes floods while others collapsed following unrelenting rains in the area, Mr Sikazwe said an additional 100 tents where needed.
Mr Sikazwe who was in Kaputa to assess the situation directed the disaster management unit to begin the distribution of food and other materials to some of the families accommodated at a school.
The minister who toured the collapsed houses described the situation as dire.What he feared most was an outbreak of diarrheal diseases because toilets had been submerged and fecal matter had contaminated water sources.
A medical team had been dispatched but was making slow progress because of the bad condition of the road.Mr Sikazwe who assured the affected families that Government would provide necessities required to see them through the trying period.He asked the provincial medical office to consider dispatching some mobile hospitals to the area because they were four wheel drive and could easily traverse the areas least affected.
How many have seen a lorry on this picture
@Earth Watch; Yes, we have seen the truck. The truck belongs to Mpende Fisheries (so, I was told) and it is stuck on an embankment road at a river called KAMUSENGA. This place is between the villages of Katwatwa and Nondo. Where the truck is standing is on the side of Nondo village going to Kaputa Boma while the person who took the picture is on the side leading to Katwatwa, Mundundu, Chishela and Mporokoso. About 300-400 meters behind the camera person is a place where Congolese Soldiers were staying.
I am able to clearly identify the place because my home village is just about 10 km from where this picture was taken even though it has been a while since I went there – may be I have also abandoned this beautiful place! Not quite. We used to get from KAMUSENGA the fish type called…
Is this Muchinga province? How come Government has stepped up efforts in getting relief food early?
muchinga province..you will never develop coz people run away due to witchcraft!
Kaputa is not in Muchinga Province, but Northern Province covering area West of Lake Tanganyika and East of Lake Mweru of Chiengi District along the border with Congo. Area surrounded by three takes: Mweru Wantipa, Tanganyika and Mweru wa Chiengi. That is the geography.
the difference is the same then.
Yes they will come only when there is flooding, cholera, or refugees. Indeed when there is disaster, and specially when there are elections. They even briefly camp there. But they come through very terrible roads. After their short stay, they go permanently and forget about those bad roads they pass through. We thank you for helping the flood affected people. But remember that we need good roads in Kaputa and Nsama districts. Good roads and permanent bridges not temporary bridges that are there on many streams and rivers. Kaputa and Nsama Districts lack everything developmenr is all about. There is a lot of money that just sinks in Lusaka bars, hotels and conferences. Think of these rural people and their area. There wwre good roads before independence. Why not now?
Let us hope the extra 100 tents needed will be forthcoming, 30 out of 130 needed is not so good! BUT YES FLOYD, we want to hear about solving the problem of these roads once and for all otherwise the same will happen every year while the area descends into greater poverty. I am informed that the road is still not passable today, ZNS is “monitoring” the situation but still nothing done. Nsama / Nsumbu now has three access roads of which all are terrible and 2 are impassable. in fact the road from Mbala ends in the Lufubu river and will be deteriorated before any vehicle uses it.