Veep commissions flood warning sirens in Sioma

Vice President Inonge Wina says the introduction of Disaster warning systems in the country will enhance the country’s capacity to respond, avert and mitigate impending disasters arising from climatic conditions in order to foster public safety.

Mrs Wina said an early warning system will play a cardinal role in minimizing calamities that the country experiences resulting from flooding when river banks bursts due to increased rainfall activities.

ZANIS reports that the Vice President said this when she commissioned the country’s first ever flood warning siren at Mbeta Island in Sioma District in Western Province.

Mrs Wina commended the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU), and Zambia Information Communication and Technology Authority (ZICTA) in collaboration with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) for the initiative.

She stated that Mbeta Island like many other places in the country are prone to disasters and that the disaster early warning system will help avert, respond to and manage calamities.

“This system we are commissioning today, will enhance early warning information that will help my office through the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit, the Provincial Disaster Management Committee (PDMC), the District Disaster Management Committee (DDMC) and not forgetting the Satellite Disaster Management Committee (SDMC), to plan for impending disasters, disseminate alert warning messages to people at risk, and also to take quick action in responding to disasters,” she said.

The Vice President urged the people of Mbeta Island to utilise the information generated effectively and efficiently in order to avoid any loss of life, damage to property and the environment at large.

Mrs Wina urged the community to look after the equipment well so that it can serve its intended purpose.

She said government remains committed to taking development to all parts of the country including Mbeta Island in line with the Patriotic Front Party manifesto which emphasises taking development countrywide and Western Province will not be left behind.

The Vice President also handed over some banana boats donated by DMMU to Mbeta community to ease transportation challenges when crossing the Zambezi river.

Also launched simultaneously was a similar flood warning system at Kasaya, in Mwandi by Presidential Affairs Minister Freedom Sikazwe.

The two devices were acquired at a combined cost of 300, 000 swiss francs by the Zambia Information Communication and Technology Authority ZICTA in collaboration with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

Speaking earlier, DMMU National Coordinator, Yande Mwape said government has decided to involve communities in disaster mitigation by empowering them to participate in the early warning process.

Ms Mwape said this will allow communities to quickly mobilise themselves and leave for safe havens without having to wait for Government to intervene and facilitate their evacuation.

And ZICTA Director General, Patrick Mutimushi said Information Communication Technology can play a pivotal role in safeguarding the social development process in society.

Mr Mutimushi said his organisation will continue to use ICT to benefit the country through such innovations as the disaster warning system device.