Angola: Open-Air Basins Endanger the Lives of Residents in Zango

Luanda — Several citizens from the urban district of Zango, municipality of Viana, province of Luanda, lost their lives or suffered injuries, in recent months, as a result of drowning in open ditches in the district.

The accidents occurred, most of the time, in the retention basin of the first Zango 3 stop, along the Zango 3/Zango 0 section and vice versa, ANGOP found.

According to sources from the Civil Protection and Fire Service (SPCB), who do not specify the number of victims, the death of people, including children and adults, by drowning, has been recurrent, that is, almost every month there is a rescue of bodies in retention basins.

The Zango 3 basin, more than four meters deep and more than 15 meters wide, is full of water, as a result of the intense rains that have fallen in the Angolan capital this year.

In addition to drownings, Zango has been a constant 'stage' for various vehicles, which end up completely entering the retention ditches, especially on weekend days or at night.

The most recent case involved a member of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), rescued dead this Sunday morning, in one of the retention basins in the district.

The victim reportedly drowned in the Zango 3 basin, hours after chasing a suspected criminal who had murdered a motorcyclist, the night before, in the same location.

ANGOP found that it all started when the suspected bandit shot and killed a motorcyclist and the soldier tried to grab him. Both fell into the ditch after a struggle.

In the end, the criminal would have emerged from the water unharmed, but the FAA soldier was trapped in the mud inside the retention basin, having ended up drowning, according to eyewitnesses.

Also, this Sunday, the same locality recorded the rollover of a Land Cruiser brand vehicle (aka 18 provinces or chief machine), which went off the road (direction Zango 1/Zango 0) and broke the central sidewalk and a tree, culminating in a rollover.

At the time of the ANGOP report, the driver of that vehicle had been taken to a hospital to be helped.

The basins lack coverage, in order to avoid acts of this kind, according to the residents of Zango, an area with an estimated population of 720 thousand inhabitants.

The urban district of Zango has a territorial extension of 115 square kilometers. It is made up of Zango 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4, which are home to around 53 neighborhoods

With an estimated population of 720 thousand inhabitants, the urban district of Zango, made up of Zango 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4, has around 53 neighborhoods and has a territorial extension of 115 square kilometers.

The urbanization project for Zango, municipality of Viana, was launched in 2003, with the construction of social houses that welcomed people from risk areas in Luanda.

Currently, the Vida Pacifica urbanization (Zango 0) is also part of this district, while the Centrality of Zango 5, which was previously part of this district, now belongs to the municipality of Icolo e Bengo. QCB/IZ/DOJ

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