CHIEF Chinyama of the Luvale-speaking people has called on the government to assist communities affected by floods in the Zambezi West Bank.

The traditional leader stated that the recent heavy downpour has caused significant damage to crops, school infrastructure, homes, and bridges.

Chief Chinyama was speaking when a team from the Zambezi District Disaster Management Committee (DDMC), led by Acting Zambezi District Commissioner Sombo Mazeze, along with representatives from the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) regional office and the Zambia Air Force, paid a courtesy visit to him at his palace.

He revealed that one of the houses within the palace, where a contractor was residing, collapsed due to the heavy rains, which resulted in severe flooding.

“Just within the palace, the house where the contractor building the palace was staying collapsed last week around 4 a.m., and thankfully there were no serious injuries,” Chief Chinyama stated.

He added that the entire west bank, including his chiefdom, was flooded, destroying houses, crops, and other infrastructure.

The traditional leader appealed to the government to aid the affected communities in the west bank, including his chiefdom.

 “Our appeal is for the government to help with food, tents, and other essential items for the affected people in the west bank,” Chief Chinyama said.

Meanwhile, a team from the Zambezi District Disaster Management Committee, led by Zambezi District Administrative Officer Sombo Mazeze, who represented District

Commissioner Siomeone Machayi, as well as representatives from the DMMU regional office and the Zambia Air Force, conducted an aerial assessment to evaluate the impact of the floods in Zambezi West.

Ms Mazeze said the purpose of the visit was part of their rapid needs assessment in the Mwange, Kayenge, Nyawande, Kangulunga, and Muyembe areas of Zambezi District.

She further commended the government for its prompt action in assessing the flood’s impact on the affected communities in the Zambezi West Bank of the North-Western Province.

Ms Mazeze assured Chief Chinyama of the government's support for all areas affected in the West Bank.

“Your Royal Highness, the purpose of our visit is to assess the impact of the floods because the government is struggling to deliver services to the communities as a result of the flooding.

The district administration informed the provincial administration about the flood situation, and thankfully they have responded to our concerns, coming here to check the rising water levels in the affected areas,” she explained.

Zambezi District Health Director Dingiswayo Daka, who was part of the entourage, reported that the floods had disrupted health delivery services in the west bank.

Dr Daka mentioned that Mwange Rural Health Centre had recorded complicated maternal health cases involving four mothers who, after being referred to the District Hospital, had to use ox carts for transport, which took four days due to the floods.

He appealed to the government, through the DMMU, to address the transport challenges caused by the floods in order to provide quality health services in the district and all flood- affected areas.

“The situation is not good; our appeal is for collaboration with DMMU to ensure that the affected areas receive the necessary quality health services and that complicated cases are transported for referral,” Dr Daka stated.

Additionally, Kayenge Day Secondary School Head Teacher Emmanuel Kale stated that a formed gully connected to the Lungwevunguvwe River was only 20 meters away from threatening school infrastructure due to the ongoing flooding in the area.

Mr Kale appealed to the government and other well-wishers for assistance to prevent a disaster, particularly since the day secondary school has a population of more than 600 students, some of whom come from the western province.

And Ministry of Agriculture Crop Husbandry Officer for Zambezi District, Kelvin Simasiku, disclosed that more than 70 percent of both maize and cassava have been affected, threatening low yields for this year’s farming season in the West Bank.

Similarly, in Chavuma, the recent heavy downpour experienced in Chavuma West Bank has caused serious destruction, leaving school infrastructure, households, bridges, and agricultural fields particularly maize and cassava devastated in the Chavuma District of the North-Western Province.

A combined team from the Chavuma District Disaster Management Committee, DMMU Regional Office, and the Zambia Air Force, headed by Chavuma District Commissioner Geofrey Kasonda, also conducted a similar assessment of the floods in the affected Nguvu and Mukuku wards of Chavuma District.

Mr Kasonda assured the affected communities of government support.  “The government, under the leadership of Republican President Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, is committed to ensuring that the affected communities receive the necessary support,” Mr

Kasonda said.

He stated that the purpose of conducting a rapid needs assessment was to evaluate the impact of the floods and to inform higher authorities about immediate and future interventions for the affected communities.

Mr Kasonda disclosed to the National Agricultural Information Services (NAIS) after a combined team from the District Disaster Management Committee (DDMC), the Regional DMMU Office, and the Zambia Air Force conducted a rapid needs assessment in the Nguvu Mukuku ward.

Both the acting Chavuma District Education Board Secretary, Kelvin Samalapa, and the acting Chavuma District Agricultural Coordinator, Mpimpa Habeenzu, expressed their gratitude to the government for allowing the team to assess the extent of the impact in the district.

Mr Habeenzu described the damage to the cassava and maize fields on the west bank as severe.

Mr Samalapa also noted that the floods had not only affected students but also the educational infrastructure, crossing points, and crops in the area.

He urged the government to invest in infrastructure development on the west bank of Chavuma District in the future.

Meanwhile, one affected resident, Sydney Kanjata, from the Mukhuku area, described the situation as desperate and appealed to the government for assistance.

He also commended the government for its prompt response in assessing the impact on the ground.

The team has since completed their rapid needs assessment in both Zambezi and Chavuma Districts. -NAIS