‘Bulawayo toddler drowns in drainage’

THE Bulawayo Fire Brigade was last night engaged in a frantic search for a missing toddler who was reportedly swept away by flash floods near his home in New Lobengula suburb.

The boy, believed to be between three and four years old, is suspected to have been carried away by strong water currents after falling into a storm drainage system.

A team of firefighters was deployed to search for the child in a small stream along Luveve Road, where his body is feared to be trapped. However, overgrown grass and thick vegetation hindered the operation as the team combed through the area at around 5pm yesterday.

According to a local resident, the boy’s mother had sent him to the shops in the company of a young friend before the rains started. Concern grew when the children took too long to return home.

“The boys took too long to return, and the mother became worried and started asking around. When the other boy was questioned, he revealed that his friend had fallen into the storm drain,” said the resident.

Residents immediately formed a search party, scouring the vicinity where the child was last seen. Despite their efforts, they could not locate him, prompting an urgent call to the Fire Brigade.

Bulawayo Chief Fire Officer, Mr Mhlangano Moyo, confirmed that a team was searching both the small stream and the drainage system that runs from New Lobengula into parts of Luveve suburb.

“We received a call about a missing child who is believed to have been swept away by rainwater into a storm drain. Our team is on the ground conducting a thorough search. Further updates will be provided as soon as new information emerges,” he said.

“For now, we are treating this as a missing child case.”

The child’s mother was too distraught to speak to the news crew.

Following the onset of the rainy season, the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) has been urging people to exercise caution during heavy rains and to keep a close eye on children, especially near storm drains and flooded areas.