Rains, lightning cause havoc in Luwingu

——Heavy rains, coupled with thunder storms and lightning, have washed away a bridge at Lufubu river connecting Lubansenshi and Lupososhi constituencies of Luwingu district in the Northern Province.

And lightning has struck and damaged computers at the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) and Social Welfare offices bringing communication to a halt.

Luwingu district commissioner, Mambwe Katontoka, confirmed the development to ZANIS in the area.

Mrs Katontoka appealed to the office of the Permanent Secretary to consider allocating computers to the two departments in the district to enable the officers continue their noble working other than going office to office asking computers to operate.

Mrs Katontoka said the collapse of the bridge at Lufubu will adversely affect communication between Senior Chieftainess Chungu and the entire district.

“Yes a bridge at Lufubu River after Ipusukilo Catholic Church has collapsed following heavy rains which lasted several hours,” she said.

She appealed to motorists to use the alternative Mumba-Chisense road to get to Senior Chieftainess Chungu, Mutondo and Mapulanga areas.

Mrs Katontoka said although the Mumba-Chisense road is in a deplorable state it was better than risking lives by using the dangerous bridge.

She said the bridge will be repaired as the Patriotic Front government earmarked on the Luwingu Samfya road for tarmac under the 8000 km road project.

The District Commissioner said all the dilapidated bridges and culverts along the Luwingu Samfya road will be upgraded under the same road project.

Mrs Katontoka said Luwingu district will soon be connected to all the eight districts surrounding it, namely Kasama, Mporokoso, Chilubi, Samfya, Mwense, Kawambwa, Chipili and Mansa.

She said her government had given Luwingu-Mansa and Luwingu-Kawambwa road to contractors who will be on the site any time this month.

Mrs Katontoka said the remaining roads to be given to the contractors include the Luwingu- chlilubi, Luwingu-Kaputa and Luwingu-Samfya roads.

The DC appealed to the residents to remain calm as the PF government was trying to put everything in order.

She said the road project will employ several youths and elderly persons to work on the five road projects in the district.