Maize fields washed away

By PETER MALASHA OVER 100 hectares of maize fields in Luano have been washed away by floods following opening of the Mulungushi dam spillway gate.

Luano District vice chairman Bedford Katiti disclosed the tragedy to the Daily Nation in interview.

Mr. Katiti who is Chimika ward councillor said majority of maize fields and households built near Mulungushi River in Chimika ward are all under water.

Mr. Katiti said the situation had been compounded by over flooding of both Lunsemfwa and Mulungushi rivers because of continuous heavy downpour being experienced in the area.

Councillor Katiti explained that Chimika ward was affected because both Mulungushi and Lunsemfwa rivers had the confluence in the area and so the havoc.

Mr. Katiti has raised fears that hunger was looming in the ward because most of the households would not had food for home consumption.

“My ward will be in food problems if government does not come in to the aid of the affected households on time. The households affected are many, this will entail hunger in the area” Mr. Katiti said.

He said there was need for government through the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) under the Vice President’s office to visit the area and estimate the extent of the damage so that people could be helped with relief food.

Mr. Katiti has appealed to government to intervene as quickly as possible tand avert people dying of hunger and from the cold for those whose houses had submerged in water.