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In an interview yesterday, Power and Energy Development Minister Mangoma said the fissures were caused by the fact that there is a weak rock formation at the Kariba Dam.
“If you take a closer look, the fissures are not on the Zambian side because the rock formation that side is stronger than that of ours, that is why we are experiencing fissures,” said Minister Mangoma.
He said the fissures were not new, as the geologists had identified them and notified his ministry.
“The fissures are not recent and in any case there was an additional support that was installed to make sure that the wall does not crack further,” said Minister Mangoma.
Kariba Dam supplies 1,266 megawatts of electricity to Zambia and Zimbabwe and generates 6,400 giga watts
The double curvature concrete arch dam was constructed between 1955 and 1959 by Impresit of Italy.
The dam’s rising levels led to the opening of the floodgates in March 2010, requiring the evacuation of 130 000 people who lived in the floodplain, and causing concerns that flooding may spread to nearby areas.
Kariba Dam controls 40 percent of the total runoff of the Zambezi River.
derick.khumalo