OVER 50 houses have collapsed in Kitwe following a downpour on Friday night, leaving several families without shelter.
Five churches in Garneton – Baptist Church, Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pentecostal Assemblies of God, Life in Christ Church and Chipangano Church – also crumbled in the hailstorm.
A check by the Daily Mail in Garneton, New Kitwe, Kandabwe and Mulenga townships revealed utter destruction that has left residents in shock and at a loss of what to do next.
The shock is more so for residents whose houses have been completely destroyed.
Church services today could take a different form at congregations that have had the roofs of their buildings ripped off.
Kitwe district commissioner Chanda Kabwe, who visited some of the affected residents, said the initial assessment is that 50 houses have been affected.
Mr Kabwe said Government has assigned experts to determine the extent of the damage so that the victims can be given support.
He said Government will provide the necessary support, including temporary shelter, to all victims immediately a report is done by tomorrow.
“I would like to confirm that over 50 houses have collapsed in Kitwe due to the heavy rains we experienced on Friday night. We have sent a team of experts to affected areas to assess and verify the extent of the damage and how we can help the affected people,” Mr Kabwe said.
He said there were no casualties.
One of the affected residents, Mr James Mutale, described the incident as a disaster which requires quick intervention by the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) through provision of humanitarian assistance.
Mr Kabwe also appealed to Kitwe residents to help prevent drainages from being blocked.
He cautioned the residents against throwing litter in drainages as it is their responsibility to guard these and other public infrastructure.
Very sad situation. Without any political affiliation or influence, some of us are ready to assist. No need to put my name to such assistance. Also government should regulate the quality of this anthill made bricks. The make and burning of this bricks are quite mediocrity.
Did any PF rush to check on water level in Kariba dam? Zambia needs electricity
These dwellings are made out of clay. What do you expect?
Too bad for my relatives in Kitwe….hope govt will surely help.However the sad news is that Mmembe was given protection in Livingstone by Police.He should have been taught a lesson for always fabricating lies against Lungu.I was in Livingstone on that day and it was shocking to read in his ka paper the following day how he twisted the story.His ka grade 12 failure reporter mbulo who has never done any journalism course is right now in hiding in Livingstone.Mmembe is fit to live with animals in the park and not in a city like Lusaka.
What good can you expect from a Homo ? He is a sadist and only lunatics like luonde and mulongoti hero worship him.The sooner this foolish mmembe is sorted out the better.He has the potential to plunge this country in turmoil.Zambia is a christian nation….if it was in north Africa,it could have been history by now.He has injured many innocent souls for so long.
What does it mean: Christian nation?
Houses of worship are being flattened by natural catastrophes. What does that tell you about your beliefs?
They are useless. Whether you are Christian or not the sun will shine and it shall rain for you. Nature knows no religion.
This homo known as mmembe has tormented many souls in Zambia.If it was in north Africa,it would have been history.Only lunatics like luonde and mulongoti hero worship this nonsense.
What has Mmembe done to you iwe chipumbu cha muntu? Fred has just recovered himself from the broken life he lived under the conspiracy marriage he entered into with the late Michael Sata. Any normal person can not support the ills and evils being committed by this chagwa and his minions. Zambians are suffering.
I wonder who our brainwashed Christian brothers and sisters are going to blame for distorting churches….maybe Satan.Yes it’s him he turned on the tapsame whilst white Jesus was asleep.
@Jay jay,
It’s time to take your medication. Your bigoted quest for racially motivated spiritual apartheid is clearly overwhelming you at every turn. Any normal functioning child of the Almighty Creator will relate this disaster to sub-standard constriction. Any qualified Zambian Engineer is aware there are Building Standards and Codes of Practice in existence in our Country, thru Zambia Bureau of Standards, but they are not followed. Period. So, take your medication.
…. sub-standard construction.
..this is 21st century for heaven sake…why are we still living like in the stone age..??…every area is under a municipal council…its high time we had a deliberate policy that every structure as along as it will be meant to accommodate humans or to be used by human (like footpath bridges)…the design and the construction MUST be approve and monitored/supervised by the council responsible of the respective area……from the picture, its evident that the structures may have been of sub-standard…that wasn’t a mud rush or a burst river bank or hurricane Katrina or sandy type of storm….but just a normal heavy down poll….its council’s responsibility to ensure all storm drains are cleared of rubble before onset of the rains….but instead the go to sleep until disaster strikes….
..downpour…
This is a good reminder that Building Standards and Codes of Practice are there for a noble reason. Ignore them at your own peril. No Country has developed thru haphazard building and ignoring Building Standards and Codes of Practice. Lives would have been lost here.
The SOLUTION to lasting infrastructure and development in any Country is: – Follow Building Standards and Codes of Practice. The Zambia Bureau of Standards should stand up and be counted. It is too silent.
Were these buildings insured? Almighty government, this is were systems and legislation come in. You cannot be THE all encompassing overarching force which can resolve every issue from fixing a sick economy to dealing with someone’s flooded house
Amazing how God responds to prayers for rain by destroying churches!!