2010-04-06
LUSAKA, April 6 (Xinhua) -- About 40 people are feared dead after a boat they were traveling in capsized on a lake in northern Zambia, state broadcaster the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation reported Tuesday.

The boat capsized on Lake Tanganyika around midday when it was coming from the mountainous area Kapembwa to the Mpulungu district in the province, the report said.

It is near the place where nine people died early this year when rocks fell from a mountain due to strong wind sweeping through the area.

Northern Province Permanent Secretary Mwalimu Simfukwe said some people have since been rescued while efforts were being made to search for some more missing people. But he did not say how many people were in the boat as the tragedy occurred.

Early this year, nine people died after parts of the Kapembwa Mountain in the area fell on them following a strong wind which swept through the area, leaving 30 people homeless.

The area is part of the Great Rift Valley and mostly inhabited by fishermen who conduct their fishing on Lake Tanganyika. Three years ago, 80 people drowned on the lake when a strong wind swept through the area.