Africa-Press – Angola. President João Lourenço assessed on Wednesday the impacts of the Cavaco River overflowing in the province of Benguela, and provided precise instructions to mitigate the effects of the calamity and recover the infrastructure.
The information was disclosed by the Minister of State and Head of the Military Office of the President of the Republic, Francisco Pereira Furtado, at the end of the presidential visit.
The official said that the rapid and coordinated response of the local and central government and civil society was decisive in minimizing the consequences of the heavy rains that hit the northern and eastern regions of the province of Benguela.
Furtado explained that, in the first 72 hours after the floods occurred, conditions were created for the rescue and assistance of the affected populations, with particular emphasis on the actions of the Provincial Civil Protection Commission and the sending of resources by the Central Executive.
Among the resources mobilized, he cited the deployment of helicopters from the National Air Force, resources from the Angolan Navy, notably 15 teams of marines supported by five vessels that enabled the rescue of more than 3,600 people in at-risk situations.
The minister said the government sent approximately 830 tons of food and other essential supplies to the province of Benguela, including medicines and temporary accommodation materials, intended to provide assistance to displaced families.
To this effort, he said, was added the solidarity of society and companies from various regions of the country, which contributed with additional donations, reinforcing the humanitarian response.
During the visit, the President of the Republic conducted an overflight of the affected areas to identify the most critical areas, namely the breach of the dike on the left bank of the Cavaco River, followed by a land tour to the localities where registration and temporary resettlement of the populations is taking place.
The Minister of State emphasized that the main effect of the presidential visit was the direct observation of the reality on the ground and the interaction with the populations and companies involved in emergency and recovery actions.
He added that this presence allowed the Head of State to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the situation and reinforce the government’s commitment to solving the problems.
At the end of the inspection, João Lourenço chaired a joint meeting with the National Civil Protection Council and the Provincial Council of Benguela, which resulted in a concrete action plan, with an execution schedule, aimed not only at mitigating the immediate effects but also at implementing structural solutions after the end of the rainy season, expected at the end of May.
The measures included the resumption of a structuring program for dredging and repair the Cavaco and Catumbela river, a project interrupted in 2015, with the objective of preventing future floods and ensuring greater safety for the populations.
Furtado spoke of the need to strengthen community awareness in order to avoid the construction of housing in at-risk areas, stressing that, during the overflight, it was possible to observe the existence of settlements on islets formed by the flooding of the Cavaco River, whose populations will need to be resettled.
The minister said Angola has the resources to face the situation, highlighting that, in addition to the tons of aid mobilized by the government, private companies contributed more than 700 tons of goods, including an individual donation of approximately 500 tons of food and hygiene products.
As for the health situation, the official confirmed the existence of cholera outbreaks in the province and in other regions of the country, informing that the Health Ministry sent 49 tons of medical supplies to reinforce assistance to the populations and prevent the spread of the disease.
The Minister of State also spoke of the importance of rigor in territorial planning and construction licensing, supporting the provincial governor’s appeal for municipal administrators to strengthen compliance with legal standards, admitting that measures can be taken against possible non-compliance.
According to Francisco Furtado, the president’s visit strengthened institutional coordination and the mobilization of resources for immediate response, as well as the implementation of lasting solutions aimed at reducing the vulnerability of Benguela province to extreme natural phenomena.
Dike breach caused flooding
The overflow of the Cavaco River, in the city of Benguela, was caused by the breach of the dike protecting the left bank of the Cavaco River, which occurred on Sunday, after intense rains hit the region.
According to the provisional assessment by the authorities, the overflow of the Cavaco caused 18 deaths, 11 missing persons, 451 collapsed residences and about 10,000 homeless.
The most affected areas include the neighborhoods of Calomanga, Tchipiandalo, Massangarala, Cotel and Santa Teresa, as well as surrounding agricultural areas and companies, where submerged streets and hundreds of houses partially covered by water were recorded.
Source: ANGOP
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