The numbers of the consequences of the rains in Angola were advanced by the Minister of the Interior, Eugénio Laborinho, at a press conference in Luanda, who evaluated the data caused by the rains and the measures to help those affected.
According to Eugénio Laborinho, most of the provinces have rains, but the province of Huambo was the one with the highest number of fatalities, 54 in total, from the beginning of the rainy season in August 2022 to April 2023.
Regarding Luanda, which since the last week has been experiencing heavy rain accompanied by strong winds and lightning, the authorities continue to survey the damage, with preliminary data pointing to around 10 deaths.
Luanda, capital with close to 10 million inhabitants, spread across nine municipalities, has seen heavy rains in recent days, with flooded houses, impassable streets, falling trees and submerged public and private institutions among the consequences.
The Minister of State and Head of the Military House of the President of the Republic, Francisco Pereira Furtado, who chaired the press conference, regretted the premature death of citizens as a result of the rains, noting that an emergency plan had already been drawn up to help the victims .
The emergency plan will begin to be implemented as of next week, he assured.
For Francisco Pereira Furtado, the economic and social vulnerability of populations, the degree of exposure to risk that housing presents, disorderly occupation of land and the multiple deficiencies of urban infrastructure are among the main factors of flooding of streets and homes.
He also pointed out the weak level of community organization, non-compliance with housing construction codes, especially in Luanda, which also favor the scenario that takes place after the rains.
"In addition to measures to mitigate the situation, we will not fail to take measures to hold accountable all those who, through administrative disobedience, continue to put their lives at risk", guaranteed Francisco Pereira Furtado.
According to Eugénio Laborinho, also coordinator of the National Commission for Civil Protection, the situation of flooding of homes, streets, public and private infrastructure, which is registered, especially in Luanda, is the result of "indiscipline in the construction of houses".
"These are constructions that occupy the water lines, that is, there is even anarchy in the constructions, so there will be work with municipal administrators to stop these situations", he shot.
Without giving numbers, Laborinho also said that the last 72 hours of rain in Luanda the damage "are enormous and incalculable".
