Marooned victims moved to safety

Most marooned victims have managed to move to safety after the water levels in the flood hit areas subsided.

Reports from the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) indicate that scores of people who were marooned yesterday are now safe while search and rescue operations are underway in the affected areas.

Mashonaland West CPU chairperson, Mr Christopher Shumba however said two people drowned in Nyundu river under Chief Mashayamombe in Mubayira yesterday.

He said two people believed to have been swept away by the waters of the Angwa River managed to swim to safety further downstream.

Search and rescue teams have been deployed to affected areas, stretching from Little England farm near Darwendale Dam to Hurungwe in Mashonaland West province and flood prone Mbire and Muzarabani in Mashonaland Central province.

The Harare-Chirundu highway which had been blocked at Lionsden due to the floods has now been re-opened to traffic.

Mr Shumba said the highway was affected as water started flowing over most culverts caused by a massive throwback at Rainfield dam near Lionsden.

ZINWA has been called in to assist by opening the gates at Rainfield dam.

More than 20 houses have been destroyed while makuwatsine secondary school has been submerged in Chitsungo, Mbire district.

The CPU and police are now appealing to people in flood prone areas to relocate to higher ground as rains continue to pound the country.

Police have also issued a warning urging people to desist from crossing rivers in flood.

Eight people drowned when a vehicle they were travelling in was swept by floods at Ngwazani river bridge near Kadoma yesterday.