Tsholotsho hit by flash floods

TSHOLOTSHO District in Matabeleland North was on Wednesday hit by flash floods and that left villagers  living in fear of having their homesteads and property destroyed.

Heavy rains pounded most parts of the district for several hours on Wednesday afternoon.

The most affected areas were villages in Sipepa such as Jimila and Sawudweni under Chief Mathuphula Khumalo and parts surrounding Tsholotsho Business Centre.

Tsholotsho is a flood prone area just like Muzarabani in Mashonaland Central.

Speaking to Chronicle in separate interviews yesterday, the villagers said the rains started at 2pm and continued until evening.

"There was a heavy downpour yesterday that frightened everyone. The rains started at 2pm and went on for more than five hours," said Mr Richard Vundla from Sawudweni area.

"There was water all over the place while streams of water engulfed homesteads. A funeral service that was being conducted in our village was temporarily halted as the rains persisted. We only managed to conduct the burial in the evening."

The villagers said although no property was damaged, there was a possibility of damage if the heavy rains continue.

"The rainy season has just started and we are already experiencing flooding. We wonder what the situation will be like in February when we tend to receive more rains," said another villager who identified herself as Mrs Ncube.

"That was a shocking experience because our huts were drenched in water which reached knee level. Some people were already removing property from their huts and putting it in strong ones as they feared that some of their huts would be destroyed."

The villagers said the incidence of flooding reminded them of the past years when the area was hit by floods that destroyed homes and damaged property.

"We experienced flooding in the past years and this time it is already signalling danger. We are afraid most homesteads will be destroyed because the population density is now high," said a villager from Nembe area.

As the news crew drove along Sipepa Road pools of water were everywhere.

In some areas it was evident that water overflowed some of the narrow bridges.

Tsholotsho is a low lying area, which makes it prone to flooding.

Tsholotsho district administrator Ms Nosizi Dube could not be reached for comment as she was said to be off-duty.

The chief executive officer for Tsholotsho Rural District Council, Mr Themba Moyo was  reported to be attending a meeting in Bulawayo and could also not be reached for comment.

Ms Dube and Mr Moyo are part of the District Civil Protection Unit, which is responsible for assisting communities in case of such emergencies.

Recently the Meteorological Services Department warned of flooding in some parts of the country especially low lying areas.