Heavy rains cause widespread damage to roads

THE heavy rains that pounded Beitbridge District last week have caused wide spread damage to roads around the district leaving other areas virtually impassable.

The worst affected roads are those linking Tshikwalakwala, Chabili, Masera, Shashe and Swereki with Beitbridge town.

This emerged during a tour by the Beitbridge Civil Protection Unit to assess the flood situation in low-lying areas around the district.

The downpours destroyed major key and link roads with some now virtually impassable.

Earlier this week they were reports that most rivers in the area were in flood.

A team made up of health officials and workers from the department of roads visited most problem areas yesterday to familiarise themselves with the situation on the ground.

It was established that the Bubi River which was in flood for the past two days at Tshikwalakwala area was no longer swollen allaying fears of imminent floods.

The senior village head in the area Mr Willie Hlongwane said the situation was manageable and there was no reason for the people to panic adding that they haven't recorded any drowning incidents for both humans and livestock.

They are 158 homesteads at Tshikwalakwala.

He said both the Bubi and Limpopo Rivers were in flood in the last three days though the volume of water had subsided.

He added that they were only concerned about  the state of the roads which had been damaged by heavy rains.

Mr Hlongwane said the community was on floods and waterborne diseases alert following awareness campaigns which were held by the Civil Protection Committee in November last year. "We have enough information and are monitoring the situation on daily basis. At the moment there is no reason for the community to panic. We have advised those living near water bodies or near the river banks to be on the lookout for people swimming and playing around," he said.

Mr Hlongwane said they had since made a proposal to the Beitbridge Rural District council to assist with a community hall at a higher place where they would seek refuge in cases of flooding.

He said the hall would have the capacity to  accommodate 200 people.

The District Environmental Health Officer Mr Noto Dube said they were still conducting a surveillance of disease outbreaks which are common during  the rainy season.

He said so far they had recorded 22 cases of malaria in the district in a week and two of bilharzia at Zezani.

Mr Dube said they had enough supplies of drugs at their health centres across the district.

Meanwhile, floods have left a trail of destruction in Tsholotsho District in Matabeleland North. Heavy rains have been pounding the district the whole of last week.

More than 40 homesteads had houses and huts destroyed.

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

In separate interviews, villagers said no human life was lost to floods.

One of the villagers in Thabani village ward 21, Gogo Ruth Mangena (78), whose hut collapsed said it was raining almost everyday the whole of last week.

"These rains have been falling for the whole week and some of our children are not going to school because rivers are flooded," she said.

The councillor for ward 17 Mr Jipule Moyo said the wall of a nearby dam were breached resulting in water flooding houses.

"Many people are now homeless after their huts or house collapsed," he said.

Mrs Margaret Mafu (80) who resides near the business centre whose house was destroyed said floods were common in the district.

"I lost this same house last year. Fortunately there was no one in the house. All my property was destroyed and I do no know where Iam going to sleep with my family," she said.

Mr Thabani Ndlela (45) from Jimila area said if the rains continue crops will be affected by leaching.

"Our crops are likely to be affected by leaching if it continues raining," he said.

Tsholotsho district administrator Ms Nosizi Dube said everything was under control. She said they sent the team around the district to monitor the situation.