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ZIMBABWE has lost about 80 people mostly to drowning since the start of the rainy season hence the appeal to both pedestrians and motorists to avoid crossing flooded rivers.
A number of daring motorists and pedestrians have been swept away while attempting to cross flooded rivers.
The Civil Protection Unit has repeatedly warned members of the public against crossing flooded rivers either driving or on foot but it seems this is falling on deaf ears given the increasing cases of drowning.
Government has placed the CPU on full alert to enable it to respond promptly to distress calls from those affected by floods across the country. The flooding situation is already very bad in neighbouring Mozambique and Malawi which have both appealed to Zimbabwe to assist.
According to the Presidential spokesperson Mr George Charamba, Zimbabwe has received distress calls from Mozambique and Malawi which are grappling with widespread flooding that has displaced communities, destroyed infrastructure and cut access to basic services.
Mr Charamba said the worsening weather situation across the region was fast developing into a sub-regional disaster necessitating immediate intervention at both national and regional levels. This, according to Mr Charamba, has prompted President Mnangagwa to temporarily break his annual leave in order to lead Zimbabwe’s response to the rainfall-induced disasters that have hit parts of the country, Mozambique and Malawi.
He said the CPU supported by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, the Zimbabwe Republic Police, health services and other Government departments involved in disaster preparedness and response, was on full alert.
Government has so far responded to flooding-related emergencies in Matabeleland South, Mashonaland Central, parts of Midlands, Masvingo and Manicaland provinces.
President Mnangagwa has directed that each province should have 50 tonnes of grain as a precautionary measure to cushion communities in the event the situation deteriorates.
In response to Mozambique and Malawi’s distress calls, Zimbabwe is deploying two fully equipped air rescue helicopters to Mozambique to assist with emergency evacuations of marooned families and is also mobilising food for both countries.
It is our fervent hope that other countries will join Zimbabwe in assisting flood victims in Mozambique and Malawi. A lot of resources are required for emergency evacuations of marooned families as well as providing food and shelter to the displaced people.
We want at this juncture to commend Government for its quick response to the distress calls which is a confirmation of regional solidarity.
Zimbabweans, we want to once again emphasise, should refrain from crossing flooded rivers which at the moment is a very big challenge facing the country.
Online Reporter