THE Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU), with support from the Zambia Air Force (ZAF), has successfully evacuated 54 flood victims who were marooned by raging waters of the Lundazi River in Lumezi District, Eastern Province.
The victims, who had been cut off for five days in Kamwala area while undertaking agricultural activities across the river, were rescued after water levels rose, making it impossible for them to return to their homes.
DMMU said the evacuation exercise was conducted using a Zambia Air Force aircraft, which made four separate trips to safely ferry the stranded residents together with their personal belongings to Chiweza area in Kazembe Ward.
Meanwhile, the floods have left at least 127 households homeless after heavy rains caused houses to collapse in several parts of the district.
The displaced families are currently seeking refuge at Kazembe Primary School, where DMMU, working alongside cooperating partners, has moved in with food and non-food relief items to cushion the affected households.
Other families affected in nearby villages, including Chimalilo, Saili and Bodola, have been accommodated in temporary shelters within their respective communities.
DMMU has since commenced the distribution of relief supplies, among them foodstuffs and essential household items, to families hit by the floods.
In a show of solidarity, a Lundazi-based businessman only identified as Aliboo has donated 100 by 25-kilogramme bags of mealie meal to support flood victims in Lumezi District.
Preliminary assessments indicate that the flooding originated upstream in Lundazi District, where key infrastructure has reportedly been damaged.
Downstream, the floods have destroyed houses, washed away crop fields and caused severe siltation, burying farmlands under sand.
“DMMU continues to monitor the situation closely and is working with line ministries, the Zambia Air Force, and cooperating partners to ensure the safety and welfare of affected communities,” DMMU stated.
By George Musonda
Kalemba January 2, 2026
