| Herald Reporters
PARTS of Zimbabwe will face flooding as heavy rains continue, the Meteorological Services Department warned yesterday and those in flood-prone areas and poorly drained soils must be on high alert. The warning follows reports that floods have killed over 50 people in South Africa and Mozambique.
According to the Met Department, rains are likely to result in serious, but localised flooding.
In its latest forecast for all areas, the department said heavy falls were expected and the rains could persist across the country. Low-lying areas in Mashonaland Central, Matabeleland and the Midlands are likely to be hit hardest.
| The forecast floods pose serious risks to human life, livestock and property. Civil Protection Unit director Mr Madzudzo Pawadyira urged people living in low-lying areas to seriously consider moving to higher ground. “There has been a lot of rainfall although it has not yet translated into an emergency. However, the ground is al-ready wet and any rainfall in excess will simply flow into the rivers resulting in flooding,” said Mr Pawadyira.
He said there has been a flood threat over the weekend along Tongogara Camp when the Save River threatened to overflow, but the situation had now stabilised.
Mr Pawadyira said the CPU was on high alert should flooding occur. The unit, he said, had already put in place measures to mitigate flooding.
These measures include tents for temporary shelter and engaging communities on what to do when flooding occurs.
“In Harare, flooding has been occurring in the central business district, primarily due to the (clogged) drainage system. We have, however, since engaged the town engineer to put the necessary measures,” he said. Mr Pawadyira advised motorists to exercise extreme caution by reducing speed when it is raining and when necessary, they should stop driving.
Heavy rains, which have been pounding the country for the past week, have left major rivers around Beitbridge district in flood.
Chairman of the Beitbridge district civil protection committee, Mr Simon Muleya said major rivers — including Umzingwane, Shashe and Limpopo — were in flood.
Mr Muleya said his committee had put the police sub aqua unit and other partners on standby. He said they had so far assessed the flood situation in most problem areas, which is Shashe near Botswana, the Limpopo which borders Zimbabwe and South Africa and Tshikwalakwala near the country’s boundary line with Mozambique.
“Two teams are monitoring the situation both in the eastern and western parts of the district to ensure that issues of drowning are dealt with as soon as possible.
“Other partners and non-governmental organisations have pledged to assist us in the event we would want to evacuate people to higher places.
“We have organisations such as the MSF, Care International and the International Organisation for Migration, among others, who are willing to assist us should we encou-nter any difficulties in managing the flood situation. “At the same time, we want to warn people against cro-ssing flooded rivers as they risk their lives, we mostly worried by illegal immigrants who would want to cross the flooded rivers into either Botswana or South Africa
“We would also want to warn schoolchildren and other villagers against venturing into flooded water bodies during this rainy season,” said Mr Muleya.
He said Tshikwalakwala, in the eastern part of the district and Shashe which were low-lying areas, were prone to floods should the rains continue.
Officials manning both sides of the border between Zimbabwe and South Africa confirmed that the Limpopo River was in flood and they were yet to receive any reports of drownings. “We have been patrolling along the boundary line and are yet to receive any reports on people drowning along the Limpopo River,” said the officer commanding police in Beit-bridge, Chief Superintendent Hosiah Mukombero.
The Herald also caught up with South African police who were patrolling along the Limpopo River yesterday who said they were also on high alert for any drowning as the river was swollen. Already the heavy rains have destroyed three schools in the district extensively with one of them needing a complete overhaul.
The schools are—Kwalu secondary and primary in the west and Old Ntuli primary in the eastern side.
Six classroom blocks, furniture and stationery were extensively damaged at Kwalu secondary while the tow other schools had one and two blocks each damaged.
The district civil protection committee has since appealed for assistance to repair he three schools
Reports yesterday said over 50 people have died in floods in South Africa and Mozambique. The reports quoted South Africa's Minister for Cooperative Governance Sicelo Shiceko confirming the figures.
More than 6,000 people have fled their homes, and a state of emergency has been declared in several communities in seven of South Africa's nine provinces.
Meteorologists said more rainfall was expected over the next few days, which could cause already high river levels to rise dangerously. South Africa's army has been put on high alert. In Mozambique, 13 people have died in floods while some 13,000 have fled, national radio reported.
Authorities fear that continued rain could affect hundreds of thousands. Food supplies are also threatened in certain southern and central areas, while flooded roads are isolating thousands.
Mozambican authorities on Monday issued a red alert for residents in the Limpopo River Basin, urging them to leave their homes for higher ground due to a flood risk following heavy rains. www.herald.co.zw
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