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Elita Chikwati Senior Reporter
The Meteorological Services Department has warned of a possible outbreak of water borne diseases as a result of heavy rains received countrywide during the past week.
The department has, however, forecast a decline in rainfall this week until next Monday.
MSD senior forecaster, Mr John Mupuro yesterday said there were high possibilities of cholera, diarrhoea and typhoid outbreaks, especially in urban areas.
He encouraged people not to drink water from unprotected sources.
“People are advised against drinking water from unprotected waterholes without boiling it as there is a high possibility of contamination resulting in cholera, diarrhoea and typhoid particularly in urban areas where water has been scarce.
“In the next few days, there will be many pools of stagnant water, creating conditions conducive for malaria producing mosquitoes to breed. Accordingly, the health authorities should take the necessary steps, including warnings,” he said.
Mr Mupuro also advised children against walking or playing in stagnant water.
“Children should never play in stagnant water as the sediment from the rains may contain dangerous and sharp objects such as broken bottles, rusty cans and metal pieces,” he said.
The MSD also said there would be a decline in rainfall from starting yesterday to next Monday.
This is because the pressure systems that were causing heavy rains in Zimbabwe had moved slightly out of Zimbabwe to be quasi-stationery just outside the borders of Zimbabwe on the border of Mozambique and Zambia.
“This should keep feeding moisture to the extreme northern parts of Zimbabwe in Mashonaland provinces and thereby maintaining the wet spell in Mashonaland Central.
“The rainfall amounts expected out of this system over Zimbabwe should not be very high as compared to the heavy rains received throughout the country during the past week,” he said.
According to the MSD, the rest of the country, is expected to be under cloudy conditions with light rain and drizzle especially in Manicaland provinces and Masvingo.
By tomorrow, the high pressure systems should strengthen and cause cloudy and rather windy conditions with light rain and drizzle across the whole country.
Zimbabwe experienced thunderstorms and heavy rain across the country last week with high amounts registered in Mashonaland provinces, Manicaland and Harare.
This resulted in floods in some places that killed 11 people and left hundreds of households homeless.
Online Reporter