More rain expected in Northern Zambia
By NATION REPORTER THERE will be increased rainfall in the Northern part of the country in the next seven days, further igniting incidences of more flooding.
The country has experienced heavy rainfall causing flash floods particularly in some townships in Kapiri Mposhi, Kabwe, Lusaka and other areas.
Zambia Meteorological Department director Edson Nkonde told the Daily Nation in Ndola that this is mainly because the rain-bearing system, the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ, has been oscillating over the central part of the country.
This will invariably mean that the same rain pattern will continue in the central part up to about next week while the Northern part of the country will have increased rainfall.
“From 6th to 9th March 2018, the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), the main rain bearing system over Zambia, will be oscillating about the central parts of Zambia.
“It is expected to move northwards temporarily between 10th and 12th March, 2018 increasing rainfall activities in the northern half of the country while reducing over the southern half,” Mr Nkonde explained.
He said the wet conditions would continue to be experienced in Western, North-western, Copperbelt and Eastern provinces. The situation in the four provinces will continue throughout the week while Muchinga, Luapula and Northern provinces will experience showers in the morning and afternoon in the next seven days.
Heavy rainfall and the subsequent flash floods have inundated some residential areas in Kabwe where Mayor Prince Chileshe announced that the Municipal Council would engage a private company to pump out water and improve the drainage. In Lusaka’s Kuku Township, Nkoloma ward councillor Tasila Lungu on Monday spearheaded the pumping out of flood water while Chama district is reported have been cut off from the rest of Muchinga province.
In Luanshya, some streets in Newtown area were flooded at the weekend as the council battled to drain out the water while in Livingstone areas such as Maramba experienced flooding and sometimes the Maramba stream burst, cutting off the area.