By Golden Kang'oma

Salima, April 18, Mana: Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) through Salima District Council has distributed relief items to 324 affected households in an effort to ease some of the challenges people affected by floods.

The floods are as a result of heavy rains that have affected lakeshore districts, according to an assessment in Salima District, the floods have left 187 households displaced, some houses and water points damaged in the area of Traditional Authorities (TAs) Ndindi and Kuluunda.

Speaking during the distribution in the area of TA Kuluunda, Salima District Council’s Disaster Risk Management Officer, Gloria Chinangwa said that the relief items are to help the affected households move forward with their livelihoods while they are waiting for proper settlement and rebuilding their livelihoods.

She said that, "It is our belief that these items will help out uplifting the livelihoods of the affected people and it is our assurance that we will continue providing all the necessary support to make sure that all the affected people equally recover."

Chinangwa pleaded for different stake holders’ intervention to help the households recover as government alone cannot manage looking at the continued increase of number of households being affected.

"It is my plea to other stakeholders out there that they should come and help in supporting these people as most of them their properties have been damaged and they have nothing to depend on, so their timely interventions will help in making a difference," she said.

Councilor for Maganga, Kuluunda Asiyatu Chakwera hailed Salima District Council for its rapid response in helping the affected people and said that the relief would go a long way alleviating some of the challenges the affected people are currently facing.

"This is a very good gesture as now the lives of the affected households will at least continue moving forward, so it will be very important if some other organizations will come in and help these people out," she said.

Chakwera asked the affected people to move to upland and safe areas as water levels are still rising in the lake and warned against selling of the relief items.

One of the affected, Agness James said the items would greatly help them and added that plans of relocating to upland areas are already in the pipeline as their current location was at risk.

Kawanga Village Disaster Risk Management Committee (VDRMC) Chairperson, Amina James highlighted that they are making sure that all affected households are safe and that they receive the required support.