Two people have died after being attacked by elephants in two separate incidents in Luangwa District of Lusaka Province.
District Commissioner, Luke Chikani, has confirmed the incidents to ZANIS in Luangwa.
Mr Chikani named the deceased in the first incident as Martha Banda aged 40 of Soweto compound.
He said the late Ms Banda had gone to visit a friend in Kamoba on Tuesday, September 24,2024 and met her fate at Kamoba airstrip on her way back to Soweto compound around 19:00 HRS.
The District Commissioner added that the remains of the late Ms Banda have since been buried in Chimusi village in Sinda District, Eastern Province.
Mr Chikani further stated that an unidentified man was attacked and killed by elephants in Luangwa’s Chidada area in the early hours of Thursday, September 27, 2024.
He added that the body of the deceased is deposited in Luangwa District Hospital mortuary, awaiting identification, postmortem and burial.
The District Commissioner has described the loss of lives as unfortunate.
“It is unfortunate that we have lost two lives within two days,” he lamented.
Mr Chikani has since called on the communities in the district to desist from moving during late hours.
He said the impact of the drought has also contributed to the increase in the number of human -animal conflict cases in the district.
Mr Chikani explained that while wild animals move to search for drinking water, they meet human beings hence the increase in the human animal conflicts.
“We are in a game management area, we need to be careful, and ensure that we desist from moving at late hours, because the elephants also are searching for drinking water,” he cautioned.
Meanwhile, Dzalo Ward Councilor, Grace Mwanza, has called on the department of National Parks and WildLife to deploy a game scout in Chidada village.
Ms Mwanza said the people in her ward are living in fear of wild animals due to the increase in the number of human animal conflict cases.
“I am calling on the department to facilitate the deployment of a game scout in the Chidada area to help prevent cases of human -animal conflict, losses of lives,” she said.
