Heavy rains leave Kaputa families homeless

Several families in Chintateba area of Kaputa district have been left homeless after their houses collapsed following heavy rains. One of the affected residents, Jeff Kalumba, said the situation has left people vulnerable, with many forced to seek shelter at Kapisha Primary School, as well as a local Church. “We lost everything when the house collapsed; we are taking shelter at the Kapisha Primary School, and water is a huge challenge,” said Mr Kalumba.

Mr Kalumba attributed the damage to building of houses using mud. He said the continued downpour in the area has weakened the mud structures, adding that the disaster has disrupted livelihoods, with families losing household goods, foodstuff and personal belongings. Mr Kalumba said this when a combined team of District Disaster Management Committee members visited the affected area.

Maggie Chansa, another resident, who is taking shelter at Kapisha Primary School, said as the rainy season persists, the affected families will remain in distress. She called on the government to help address the challenges and restore the living conditions. Ms Chansa said finding clean water is a constant challenge being faced, revealing that the families are currently depending on shallow wells, which she said was posing a health risk to their lives.

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“Our toilets have collapsed, and water from the toilets is spilling over into our shallow sources,” said Ms Chansa. She has further appealed to the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) to come to their aid and provide emergency shelter and food supplies.

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