Hailstorm ravages Kasama

Sun, 29 Jan 2017 09:54:30 +0000

By Bennie Mundando

A HAILSTORM has left a trail of destruction in Kasama where seven police houses had their roofs blown off while lessons at Chiswanu Primary school have temporarily been suspended after trees fell and brought down ZESCO electricity poles in the area.

Both Northern Province permanent secretary Bizwayo Nkunika and Mulilansolo ward councillor Aaron Zimba confirmed the development to the Sunday Nation, saying Government has provided tents to affected families at the old police camp as a temporal measure.

As at Friday, Mr. Nkunika said his team was still assessing the damage which also extended to Kasama General Hospital where the maintenance workshop, the physiotherapy building as well as the main administration block had their roofs blown off.

He said the trail of destruction also extended to houses in most parts of the town and that the extent of destruction could only be ascertained once the assessment was concluded as a lot of buildings were affected, leaving people stranded.

“Rains started on Thursday around 15:00 hours and only ended after 17:00 hours, and a hailstorm left a trail of destruction. At the old police camp, seven houses had their roofs completely blown off, leaving the families stranded but DMMU came to our aid and provided tents to the families while Kasama General Hospital’s maintenance workshop, physiotherapy section, as well as the main administration block also had their roofs blown off.

“We are still accessing the situation but a lot of households have also been affected as a result of the hailstorm which also blew off the roof of Sabot filling station and the warehouse for the Water Affairs department,” Mr. Nkunika said. And Mr. Zimba said he was disturbed by the trail of destruction left at Chiswanu Primary school which was in his ward as the learning institution had been forced to suspend lessons temporarily due to the ZESCO poles that fell in the premises.

“We are only lucky that there were no children on campus when the trees fell on the ZESCO power cables which brought down the poles. Otherwise, it would have been a different story by now. Lessons at the school have been suspended for the time being but we hope children will return to school by Monday,” Mr. Zimba said.