Following floods that affected more than 20 000 people across Zambia, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is working with the Zambian government for improved knowledge generation and effective advisory services.

Zambia’s Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit, reportedly describing the ongoing floods in the Southern and Central provinces as “catastrophic”, highlights a rising number of communities at risk of contaminated flood waters, submerged sanitation infrastructure, collapsed infrastructure, damaged homes and imminent waterborne diseases stemming from such extreme flooding.

After Zambia’s Water Resources Management Authority coordinated development agencies for disaster response in the severely impacted districts of Luapula, Kapompo, Lukulu, Senange, Kitwe, Mambwe and Solwezi earlier this year, IWMI offered support for post-flood recovery strategy development, as well as the strengthening of digital climate agro-advisory services.

IWMI will further support its government partners in Zambia with flood damage assessment and aid recovery efforts, following the extreme flooding events across the country particularly in Southern, Central, Eastern and Lusaka provinces.

“The importance of getting an in-depth understanding of the current situation, as well as formulating a well-drafted, inclusive post-flood recovery strategy is fundamental to helping the country with a multi-sectorial response to ensure recovery, rehabilitation and restoration,” says IWMI Southern Africa regional representative Dr Inga Jacobs-Mata.

“We also have the experience of other flood events in Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka, where we have developed effective early warning systems, to help guide the government in putting together an evidence-based framework to support the recovery and relief efforts.”

The need for a disaster management crisis plan is key at such a time, particularly considering how rapid response maps could assist agencies in early detection.

“In such a crisis, researchers at IWMI offer critical aid in the form of rapid-response maps generated from elaborate, high-resolution satellite images, which can help local disaster management teams on the ground to make informed decisions regarding crop damage, identify vulnerable populations, and aid in early indications of emerging issues,” adds IWMI water risks to development and resilience research group lead and CGIAR Initiative on Climate Resilience country lead Zambia Dr Giriraj Amarnath.

The satellite images are sent in response to requests for support from partners for the monitoring and assessment of floods, as currently experienced in Zambia.

Investments to enhance emergency preparedness and response capacities are critical to mitigate the impact of climate shocks.

“The CGIAR Initiative on Climate Resilience proposed to implement an innovative anticipatory disaster mitigation response using the early warning, early action and early finance AWARE platform.”

AWARE strengthens rapid response mechanisms to provide water-related hazard triggers, which help to better coordinate among institutions for timely assistance to severely affected people through relief funds, with a special focus on the most vulnerable groups.