Image: JPrivado
PRESS RELEASE
Friends of Angola hereby expresses its deep solidarity with the families affected by the heavy rains that struck the province of Benguela, causing loss of life, destruction of infrastructure, and leaving thousands of people displaced.
According to recently released information, the tragedy has already resulted in fatalities, with more than four thousand people left homeless and facing extremely precarious conditions.
Particularly concerning is the situation along the Cavaco River, whose overflow has left hundreds of families exposed, destroying homes and essential belongings.
There are also worrying indications of structural failures and possible irregularities in the containment infrastructure, including degraded dikes and incomplete or poorly executed interventions, which may have contributed to worsening the impact of the floods.
In this context, Friends of Angola:
- Calls on the Government of Angola to urgently declare a state of calamity in the province of Benguela, in order to mobilize extraordinary resources and ensure an effective humanitarian response;
- Demands the launch of an independent, urgent, and transparent investigation into the works carried out on the Cavaco River and associated containment systems;
- Advocates for civil and criminal accountability of the companies and entities involved, should negligence, poor execution, or mismanagement of the projects be confirmed;
- Reiterates the need for a structural and preventive approach to ensure that similar tragedies do not continue to occur.
It is essential to guarantee immediate assistance to the affected populations, including shelter, food, healthcare, and social protection, as well as to implement long-term solutions that ensure the safety of communities.
Friends of Angola reaffirms its commitment to justice, transparency, and the well-being of the Angolan people, and encourages the mobilization of society as a whole to support the victims of this tragedy.
About Friends of Angola
Friends of Angola is an organization dedicated to promoting good governance, citizenship, and transparency.
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