Zambian villagers flee homes due to jumbo attacks

19 July 2007, 18:01

08:57, July 13, 2007

Villagers in Siavonga district of Zambian Southern Province have allegedly abandoned their homes for fear of being attacked by elephants.

Village headman said that the rampaging elephants are destroying granaries in the village, a situation that has forced people to flee, reported the Zambia News and Information Services.

The headman said that school going children have abandoned classes for fear of being attacked by the wild beasts.

The traditional leader has since appealed to the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) to intervene before lives are lost.

He said the authority should consider sending officers to scare away the elephants from the area.

He said that ZAWA officers have not visited the area to rescue villagers despite a report having been sent to the district commissioner's office a few weeks ago.

'' These Jumbos invade this area on daily basis from 16 hours up to 05 hours, the government should intervene because some people may end up drowning in the crocodile infested Lower Zambezi as they try to run away from the elephants' attacks,'' he said.

The headman said that the government would be forced to send relief food to the affected villages due to the impact of the destruction of maize crops in the field and granaries by the elephants.

Source: Xinhua