By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA –
ANOTHER farm bloc area in Kitwe’s Kamfinsa constituency, Kakolo has been cut off following continuous heavy rains that have caused havoc in the district.
Kakolo, an area across Kafue River, was cut after the river flooded because of continuous heavy rains experienced in the district.
Kitwe Town Clerk Bornwell Luanga confirmed the incident in an interview yesterday and said the development had left hundreds of residents across the river stranded.
The Town Clerk who visited the area yesterday morning described the situation as serious.
“The entire farm bloc in Kakolo area hosting hundreds of residents has been cut off by the river which has flooded because of continuous rains that have raised water levels in the Kafue River,” he said.
Mr Luanga said he expected the floods to worsen further as the rains in the district were currently at their peak.
He said the council had engaged the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) to assist in constructing permanent bridges on all rivers and streams prone to flooding to prevent people from being cut off unnecessarily.
“But in the meantime, we are looking at other short term measures of how to address this problem of people who have been cut off by the flooding of the river so that they can start crossing,” he said.
And Mr Luanga has urged residents living in flood prone areas and edges of rivers particularly the crocodile infested Kafue River to exercise caution and relocate to other alternative areas.
“For the safety of these residents, we want to urge them to relocate to alternative areas where their safety and protection from crocodiles including floods is guaranteed.
He said it was disheartening to see people risking their lives by clinging on to areas that are on the edge of crocodile infested river when there were other alternative areas to settle.