Marythar Shimwe
LUHONONO – Residents in the floodplains of Zambezi region such as Luhonono, formerly known as Schuckmannsburg, are cut off from the mainland via the Namalubi-Luhonono road by the swelling Zambezi River.
The previous year on 11 March the water was at 1,84m while the same time this year it stood at 5,70m.
Upon enquiry, Peter Mwala the councillor for Kabbe South constituency said an assessment team has already been established and dispatched to assess the severity of the floods before measures are put in place to assist the affected communities.
“We will give out all the information about the affected areas after our assessment team is back from the field,” said Mwala.
However, communities from Malindi village and the surroundings have started moving their cattle to upper land.
“Floodwaters always bring us fish and make river transport easier because we have canoes, and we get water for domestic use,” said a resident of Malindi, who added: “There are however negative aspects such as diseases and people are forced to move their cattle to higher ground.”
In 2019 the region did not experience much floods and no casualties were reported. However the region is expecting more floods this year and therefore people need to prepare, said Jimmy Simataa from the Emergency Disaster Unit in the Zambezi Regional Council.
John Likando, the councillor for Kabbe South, said: “If the flooding continues at the current rate, Mpukano, Muzii and Nankutwe schools may have to close and relocate with their school materials to other schools on the upper land in order to continue with their lessons.”
“As for now I am not informed of any school that has closed,” added the councillor.
*Marythar Shimwe is an information officer in the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology stationed at Katima Mulilo in Zambezi region.