Mudslides in Vumba
HEAVY rains pounding most parts of the country continue to cause infrastructural damage while landslides in Vumba on Saturday blocked access to the iconic Leopard Rock Hotel.
Poor drainage systems in some parts of Harare caused flooding in homes built on wetlands.
In Mashonaland Central, some areas near the flooded Hoya River are still cut off.
The Vumba landslides occurred along the Mutare-Vumba Road about 5km from Leopard Rock Hotel.
Another mudslide occurred less than 2km from Leopard Rock Hotel and workmen managed to open the road by Sunday.
When The Herald visited Vumba yesterday, workmen were still on the ground.
“This was caused by the heavy rains that started around 8pm on Saturday. It rained right up to Sunday. We managed to clear a section of the road by midday on Sunday to enable vehicles to pass,” said an employee with a company contracted to repair a section of the road damaged by Cyclone Idai last year.
Also seriously affected by the rains is a section of the road between Leopold Rock Hotel turn-off and Vumba Agriculture Co-operative where rains left a gully, boulders and stones.
Efforts to get a comment from Leopard Rock Hotel management were fruitless.
Matabeleland North Provincial Minister Cde Richard Moyo said the situation was now under control in Binga where the affected families were being housed in temporary structures.
“We have been working tirelessly to assist the affected families and they are now a happy lot. We have distributed maize, tents, blankets, clothes, shoes and other basic necessities. The Zimbabwe National Water Authority has been providing water through bowsers and they are in the process of siting for places to drill boreholes.
“Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Deputy Minister, Lovemore Matuke, was in Binga today (yesterday) distributing rice to the victims,” said Minister Moyo.
Mashonaland Central provincial development co-ordinator Mr Cosmas Chiringa said rains had subsidised in most parts of the province although Hoya River was still flooded.
“We have not received any reports of further damage by the rains from all the districts. We are, however, on high alert and will continue monitoring the situation.
“We are also grateful for the support we got from development partners like Red Cross Society of Zimbabwe and World Vision who have been assisting flash flood victims in Mbire and Muzarabani. We will continue assisting the affected families with all the necessary support,” said Mr Chiringa.
A Kuwadzana Extension resident, Mrs Dadirai Siyalibonga who has been staying in the high density suburb since 1998, said they were experiencing flash flooding.
“Every year, we experience this flooding challenge where water gushes into our houses damaging our property. We have raised this issue with the local authority, but it seems our plea is falling on deaf ears,” she said.