17/01/2026
https://www.facebook.com/100086855381971/posts/884693574435814/?app=fbl
FLASH FLOODS HIT MUTENDERE: SEPA CALLS FOR URGENT RELOCATION AND RELIEF
January 17.2026
Chipo Nachibbatu
Save the Environment and People’s Agency, SEPA, has expressed deep concern over the recent flash floods in Mutendere, which have left more than 200 households affected, displacing families and destroying property.
SEPA Chief Executive Officer, Mailes Zulu Muke, warned that residents living in waterlogged and flood-prone areas remain at high risk, particularly as the impacts of climate change continue to intensify.
Mrs. Muke urged the Zambian Government to take immediate action by relocating affected families to safer areas, stressing that allowing people to return to these dangerous zones after the rainy season would only expose them to future disasters.
Mrs Muke said communities living in waterlogged areas are extremely vulnerable to flash floods.
She noted that with climate change worsening, these disasters will become more frequent and more destructive.
She further called on the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU), the private sector, and cooperating partners to act swiftly and provide urgent humanitarian assistance, including food, bedding, and other essential relief supplies, to help affected families recover.
SEPA also criticized the lack of preparedness, noting that meteorological forecasts had already predicted flooding in low-lying areas such as Mutendere.
Mrs Muke emphasized that preparedness is key the government should have relocated these residents long ago, especially after receiving clear meteorological warnings that floods were imminent.
SEPA has consistently advocated for proactive disaster preparedness and climate-resilient planning, urging authorities to prioritize the safety of vulnerable communities as extreme weather events become more common.
The organization has reiterated its commitment to working with stakeholders to promote sustainable environmental management and protect both people and livelihoods from the growing threats posed by climate change.
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