Zambia lashed by heavy rains from cyclone 'Japhet'

Lusaka, Zambia (PANA) - Heavy rains accompanying cyclone 'Japhet' blanketed southern Zambia Wednesday although the storm did not cause as much damage as in Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
Jacob Nkomoki, the chief meteorologist at the department of meteorology in Lusaka explained that "a mere arc" of cyclone Japhet had swept through southern Zambia while the "eye" of the storm had remained in central Zimbabwe.

A heavy downpour fell in Lusaka in the early hours reducing visibility to less than 20 metres.

Nkomoki observed that Zambia was not directly in the path of the storm, adding that natural obstacles had reduced most of the cyclone's violence.

The permanent secretary in the vice-president's office, Webster Mulubisha disclosed that large quantities of food had been put aside for rapid distribution to people in southern and eastern provinces that are likely to be affected by the cyclone.

Mulubisha regretted that the storm will aggravate the hunger situation in the southern province, where rains have been erratic throughout the past year.

Zambia was among six southern African countries that faced an unprecedented famine due to poor rains last year.