adminWalter Mswazie Masvingo correspondent
FIVE more people have drowned in Masvingo in five separate incidents, bringing the number of drowning-related deaths in the province to eight, police confirmed yesterday.On Tuesday last week, three children drowned while swimming in a flooded dam in Gutu while seven people were marooned on an island in Chivi.
Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Chief Inspector Peter Zhanero said the incidents happened in Chiredzi, Bikita and Gutu between last week Tuesday and Saturday.
He identified the deceased as Cleopas Mbasi, 21 of Tshovani Township, Lymon Mugondi, 66 of Rupangwana Village under Chief Tshovani in Chiredzi, Tendai Machatuka, 13 of Machaka Village under Chief Mukanganwi, Courage Musengi, 8 of Manyanya village under Chief Marozva and Shana Vushe, 62 of Shana Village under Chief Gadzingo in Bikita.
Chief Insp Zhanero said the first incident happened on Tuesday last week at around 2pm when a suspected fish poacher, Mbasi, drowned while trying to evade arrest by game scouts.
He said Mbasi and Forward Munyai, 32, both from Tshovani Township were fishing at Muteri Dam in Hippo Valley. Mbasi’s body was retrieved and a report was made to the police. The body was taken to Chiredzi Hospital for postmortem.
Chief Insp Zhanero said on New Year’s Day at around 10am in Gutu, Vushe who was epileptic, drowned in a well while fetching water for domestic use. The body was retrieved and postmortem was waived.
On the same day in Bikita at around 2pm, Tendai drowned while trying to rescue her friend from being swept by the raging deluge at Mungezi River.
Tendai’s body was retrieved by villagers after which, a report was made to the police. On Saturday in Bikita at around 1pm Courage, drowned as he was swimming in Rozva Dam while herding cattle with his relatives, who are also minors.
Villagers were called to the scene and managed to retrieve the body and postmortem was also waived. On Sunday at around 3pm, Mugondi jumped into water and subsequently drowned at Machoka Bridge in panic caused by a hooting South African registered vehicle, which was coming from behind.
His body was retrieved and the postmortem waived. Meanwhile, Chief Insp Zhanero called on members of the public to advise children against playing near water bodies especially during rainy seasons.
He said in many cases the victims were children.
Online Reporter