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Pamela Shumba Chronicle Reporter
THREE children drowned while swimming in a flooded dam in Gutu, while seven people were marooned on an island along a river in Chivi, Masvingo. This comes barely a day after the Meteorological Services Department warned of floods as the country continues to receive significant rainfall.
Senior meteorological officer Jonathan Chifuna on Monday said the wet spell, which began last week, would persist up to 6 January, with flooding expected in low lying areas.
Confirming the Masvingo incidents, national police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi said police had retrieved two of the bodies of the three children and rescued the marooned people.
He warned members of the public against crossing, swimming or fishing in flooded water bodies.
“Three children aged 9, 10 and 14 years drowned in a flooded Mushawiri Dam, in Gutu, Masvingo while swimming on December 30, 2013.
“Two of the bodies have since been retrieved by the police sub aqua unit while the remaining body is yet to be retrieved,” said Chief Supt Nyathi.
He added: “In a related incident, seven people who had been marooned on an island along the Tugwe river, Chivi, in Masvingo on December 30, 2013 have been rescued by the police sub aqua unit.
“Two of the seven were herding cattle along the river and the other five were fishing when the river suddenly became flooded.”
Chief Supt Nyathi appealed to members of the public not to attempt crossing flooded rivers.
“It has come to our attention that the country is likely to experience an increase in rains in the coming weeks leading to flash floods.
“We therefore appeal to the general populace to avoid crossing, swimming and fishing in flooded water bodies as they may drown or get marooned,” he said.
Chief Supt Nyathi appealed to people living in low lying areas to take precautionary measures by moving to higher grounds during incidents of floods.
“Early reportage of flash floods to the police is vital so that the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) is alerted on time.
“I would also like to advise the public to take shelter in appropriate places when it starts to rain to avoid being struck by lightning,” said Chief Supt Nyathi.
He said with the heavy rains persisting, low lying areas such as Tsholotsho, Beitbridge, Gokwe and Muzarabani are likely to experience flooding.
These areas have in the past years experienced flooding which resulted in destruction of homesteads, roads and schools and loss of life.
Meanwhile, the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) director, Pawadyira Madzudzo said his organisation was prepared to assist communities in the event of flooding.
He said ground work has been done and that communities in low-lying areas were empowered with knowledge on how to respond when floods occur.
Madzudzo said from October to November this year, the CPU engaged communities, particularly those in low-lying areas and educated them on how to rescue each other during floods.
He said this year the CPU received funding from partners and hopes were high that with more funding coming the department would be able to cover more areas.
Floods have the potential of increasing the transmission of communicable and water-borne diseases such as typhoid, cholera and hepatitis, as well as vector-borne diseases, such as malaria and yellow fever.
Online Reporter