Chambeshi ward in Chinsali district in Muchinga Province has been hit with floods, following heavy rains being experienced in the area.
Chinsali Acting District Commissioner Brenda Silwembe, says the floods in the area have resulted in the submerging of two crossing points in the ward.
Speaking to the media in an interview when she assessed the extent of the floods in the area, Ms Silwembe stated that the ward has been cut-off from the rest of the district as vehicles are unable to cross to the other side.
She said the district administration will immediately engage the Zambia National Service (ZNS) to assist in putting gravel on the affected crossing points to ensure that there is easy accessibility to other areas.
“This situation is devastating because we have also observed that some crops have been damaged and our people are unable to access various services in the Central Business District such as health care services because of this bridge that has been submerged in water,” she added.
Ms Silwembe further appealed to residents in the area to ensure that their children do not play in the floods, stressing that it poses great danger especially with regard to the potential spread of waterborne diseases.
The Acting District Commissioner also mentioned that there is need for the community to come up with a lasting solution through their Ward Development Committees (WDCs) by applying for a new bridge using the Constituency Development Funds (CDF).
And one of the affected residents, Alice Kafula, lamented that many children in the area have not been attending classes due to the floods that have affected the crossing points.
Ms Kafula explained that since the heavy precipitations experienced, school going children have been absconding classes because crossing the flooded bridge poses great danger to their lives.
“It is not just the bridge that has been affected, but also the road is very much flooded,” she stated.
She further appealed to the government to consider constructing a good road that properly links various villages in the area especially during the rainy season.
And another affected resident, Dickson Nkweto, thanked the District Administration for urgently responding to the situation of flooding in Mulolo village of Chambeshi ward.
Mr Nkweto charged that the quick response gives hope to the people of Chambeshi of addressing the flooding situation on time.
