Huambo - The governor of Huambo province, Pereira Alfredo, on Monday reaffirmed the authorities' commitment to preventing natural disasters in order to avoid fatalities and material damage, especially during the rainy season.
He was speaking at a meeting of the Civil Protection Commission, which brought together members of the government, municipal administrators, officers from the Angolan Armed Forces and the Fire Service.
He said that the authorities in Huambo province are prepared to act quickly in any accident situation resulting from the rains, by drawing up contingency plans to help in any case of fatalities.
He also emphasised that preventive measures must be taken not only by the state itself, but also by the population.
He warned of the need to redouble vigilance on the prohibition of buildings or homes in risky and unsuitable areas, which involves discouraging such actions.
He pointed out that municipal administrators should include the installation of lightning rods in construction projects, especially those in larger conurbations, so that most communities are covered.
He also recommended the urgent identification of risk zones and immediate intervention for community public safety.
The government authorities in Huambo chose environmental education, the elimination of ravines, the restructuring of gutters and the desilting of some rivers as the main solutions to mitigate natural disasters.
Awareness-raising campaigns about earthquakes and measures to prevent electrical discharges are other options for curbing natural disasters in Huambo province.
It should be noted that the negative impact of the rains caused at least 256 human victims between August 2023 and May 2024, 136 of them dead and 120 injured, with the destruction of 3,189 houses, as well as leaving 15,945 people in vulnerable conditions.
During this period, it is known that close to 354.23 hectares with diverse agricultural production were devastated, above all in the municipalities of Bailundo, Chinjenje and Ucuma. LT/JVS/ALH/DAN/DOJ
