AT least 34 homes, a school and three game lodges have been destroyed by flooding in the Chiawa valley of the lower Zambezi following opening of spill gates at the giant Kariba Dam. Aid workers say maize fields along the river banks in the valley have been destroyed after the waters rose just over 5.1 metres. Other crops growing near the river banks were also submerged. An estimated 140 Zambian households have been affected by the rising water levels, and that an assessment team was visiting the area with officials from the office of the vice presidency which deals with natural disasters. Zambian officials say the gates were opened just over a week ago to prevent water levels at Kariba rising above danger levels following heavy rains brought on by the cyclones which swept Madagascar and Mozambique. The World Food Programme has despatched two consignments of emergency food to the area.