Meheba (Zambia) : dozens of houses destroyed by torrential rains

The months of December and January are the rainiest in Zambia, especially in the northwestern part which is home to the Meheba refugee camp. The latter has already recorded several damages including houses, classrooms and crop fields washed away by the rains during this season. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

Refugees warn of a situation that risks becoming more and more complicated.

“On road number 36, in my village alone, there are already more than ten destroyed houses. The atypical case is that of a Burundian who almost lost his life during the night. His house collapsed while he was sleeping. Had it not been for the rapid intervention of his neighbours, Fabrice Rukundo would no longer be alive. He was pulled from the rubble”, witnesses said.

Homeless people sound the alarm.

“There are a lot of them because more than 100 houses have been destroyed throughout the camp. Several people remained homeless. They need emergency assistance, especially housing. This happens at a time when the infrastructure rehabilitation service that granted tents in such circumstances is no longer functional”, say refugees.

In some areas, pupils no longer study because they do not have classrooms.

Crop fields were not spared either.

“In the valley not far from the camp, all the maize and tomato crops were washed away by these torrential rains. Famine is likely to set in here in the coming months”, complain occupants of Meheba.

They recommend the redevelopment of gutters on the roads that cross the camp, the reconstruction of destroyed houses, a campaign against erosion and the restoration of the infrastructure service at the Meheba camp.

This camp, located in the Kalumbila district in northwestern Zambia, is home to more than 27,000 refugees, including more than two thousand Burundians.