Heavy rains wreak havoc in Mpwapwa

 

HEAVY rains accompanied by strong winds wreaked havoc in Mpwapwa and Jangwani villages in Sumbawanga District, Rukwa Region, rendering 250 people homeless after badly damaging their houses.

The Mpwapwa Village Chairman, Mr Marekani Kayembe, told the ‘Sunday News’ that the downpour that lasted for three hours from 1:00 am on Friday wrecked havoc to the residents.

Most of women and children sought refuge under their beds. He said a six-year minor boy has been injured after the houses were damaged. Mr Kayembe said that in Mpwapwa Village the downpour ripped off the roofs of 24 houses, breaking their walls, rendering 120 people homeless.

The victims sought refuge at their close relatives and neighbours in Mpwapwa precinct. Reports had it that the downpour damaged 19 houses at Jangwani village.

The Mpwawa Health Centre-in-charge, Ms Upendo Winga, admitted to have received a minor, Edson Konstebo, aged six, who sustained injuries on the head after being hit by a falling brick of the wall of the house he was sleeping in.

She said the minor, a boy, was received at the health facility at around 5:00 am on Friday for treatment. The boy was unconscious and regained his senses three hours later. Ms Bahati Mangula told the ‘Sunday News’ that the torrential rains swept across the precinct, waking them up from their sleep. She had immediately pushed her two children under the bed in the house just shortly before the walls fell apart.

“I also sought refuge under the bed, we were lucky because when the bricks fell, they landed on top of the bed,” added Ms Baraka, a mother of two. A cross-section of victims interviewed by the ‘Sunday News’ said the downpour caused a huge damage by ripping of the roofs of their houses, leaving them homeless.

It also destroyed their food. Mpwapwa Ward Councillor, Mr Abel Kambaulaya, said the victims were in dire need of humanitarian assistance, including food and temporary shelter.

The Sumbawanga District Commissioner (DC), Dr Halfani Haule, accompanied by members of his district defence and security visited the areas to witness the damage caused by the rains.

He urged the victims to start rehabilitating their damaged houses while the assessment team was quantifying the actual damage by the downpour. Dr Haule said a similar incident occurred last week in Mwela Village by Lake Rukwa Basin in Sumbawanga District where torrential rains damaged 23 houses, rendering several families homeless.