Although early rain showers have brought much relief to farmers, Zambezi governor Lawrence Sampofu has warned of early flash floods in the Kabbe South constituency.
Every year as the rainy season draws to a close, the Zambezi River pushes over its banks along its upper reaches in Zambia.
In an interview yesterday, Sampofu confirmed the region received good rains.
However, he said some roads in the Kabbe South constituency have already been cut off and no vehicle has access to those areas.
He said some parts of Kabbe South which are not accessible by road are Nankutwe and Muzii.
“We anticipate early floods this year. We are cautioning livestock farmers to start moving their animals to higher grounds and not wait until the situation gets out of control,” he warned.
Most parts of the country received good rains for the past weeks and many farmers have already started tilling their fields.
“We received good rains as of November. Farmers have started ploughing their fields. We encourage every farmer to make use of the good rains to ensure food security. We learned a lot from corona so we have to ensure everyone has food. We shouldn’t rely on handouts,” Sampofu reacted.
He said the Zambezi regional leadership is monitoring the situation of rainwater arising from the Zambezi River.
“We are ready in terms of tents and amenities for schools if floods worsen,” he noted.
Due to heavy flooding experienced in the Zambezi, many schools in the Kabbe flood-prone areas have been cut off. It remains unclear how the situation will be in the next weeks when schools resume for the 2021 academic year.
Some schools are in the epicentre of the flood zone, such as at Schuckmannsburg, Namiyundu, Nankuntwe, Muzii, Mpukano, Masikili, Ivilivinzi, Lisikili, Imukusi, Mbalasinte, Nsundwa and Nfoma.
Mot seasonal floods often leave learners and teachers exposed to harsh conditions, as they have to cross streams using dugout canoes risking their lives from crocodiles and snakes that come with these floods.
-anakale@nepc.com.na