Hailstorm accompanied by heavy rainfall has on Wednesday displaced over 749 families in Karonga, officials have confirmed.
The most affected areas include six villages in Traditional Authority Kyungu, namely Zindi with 328, Mweneguwe 89, Katolola 86, Mwandwanga 13, Mwahimba 189 and Mbemba 44.
Confirming the development, councilor for the area Harry Mwanyembe said the victims are in need of food and shelters.
Mwanyembe described the development as the first in the history of the area.
“People’s lives and properties are in danger here because of this development. They have nowhere to sleep or something to eat, all their food and properties were affected on the day,” said Mwanyembe.
It has also been confirmed that number of the school going children especially from the affected families failed to attend classes because their school materials were affected.
“Some of the school going children are helping their parents to take care of their affected properties apart from the fact that their school materials were completely destroyed during the day,” added Mwanyembe.
Speaking to this reporter, some of the affected families attacked their Member of Parliament John Bond Kamwambi under the ruling Democratic Progressive Party for being selective in distributing materials like timbers to the victims.
“He is only helping families that are members of his party, as of us we have no where to depend on hence we are calling for the well-wishers to bail out our problems,” said the victims.
Efforts to talk to the MP proved futile as his number could not be reached.