The heavy rain, accompanied by winds and thunderstorms, which hit the city of Cabinda on Sunday, caused the death of six people and 13 others were injured and were taken to the provincial hospital by emergency.
Of the injured people, 12 have already been discharged and one is still in the Cabinda provincial hospital receiving medical care.
The fatal victims lived in the Lombolombo, Cabassango and 1° de Maio neighborhoods. In Lombolombo, a mother and daughter died inside their home, when a Toyota Hillux vehicle burst into the house, following being dragged from the slopes of the Cadula/Lucola section.
The third victim is a 43-year-old national citizen who was buried due to the landslide in the Cabassango neighborhood, while the two victims from the 1° de Maio neighborhood died from electrocution.
In addition to the human victims, the rain that fell for five hours (10 am to 3 pm) also caused the flooding of 1,760 homes, including 702 in the 4 de Fevereiro neighborhood, 119 (Gika), 228 (Lombolombo), 369 (Chiweca ), 121 (Tchizo) and 119 in Povo-Grande.
According to provisional data released yesterday by the Provincial Civil Protection Operational Coordination Center, a total of 30 infrastructures were flooded, with emphasis on 24 commercial establishments, three schools, two health centers and two churches, while nine houses collapsed in the Cabassango neighborhood, two in Lombolombo and one on 1° de Maio.
According to Henrique Brás Capita, coordinator of the Operational Center of the provincial Civil Protection commission, the runway at Maria Mambo Café airport was completely flooded, which prevented aircraft from landing on Sunday.
“As a result of the work to desilt the drainage ditch adjacent to the runway carried out by the technical team, we were able to drain the water and today the runway is operational.”
The most affected neighborhoods are those in the lower areas of the city, namely Lombolombo, Chiweca and Povo Grande, which are classified as risk areas.
According to Henrique Capita, the work to investigate the damage caused by the rain continues and four teams of operators are deployed on various fronts in the city’s various outlying neighborhoods.
“The provincial Civil Protection commission designed a preliminary intervention program to support victims with housing and food issues.”
Henrique Capita, who is also the provincial commander of Civil Protection and Fire, called on citizens who are in areas prone to flooding, water crossings and on mountain slopes to abandon these areas.