Man, oxen swept away while trying to cross flooded river

A tragic incident unfolded in Nyagari Village, Chirumhanzu, when a 44-year-old man, Munashe Muzinda, drowned while attempting to cross the flooded Nyagari River with his ox-drawn cart. His body was discovered two kilometres downstream, while his oxen and cart were found 10 kilometres away six days later. Unfortunately, the oxen did not survive.

Midlands Provincial Police spokesperson, Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko, confirmed the incident, which occurred last Sunday around 5 PM.

"A villager and his ox-drawn cart were swept away by a flooded Nyagari River when they tried to cross. The deceased was aboard the cart, which was drawn by two oxen, and everything was swept away," said Insp Mahoko.

The alarm was raised when Muzinda's cousin, Xavier Madzivanyika, attempted to reach him via cellphone but received no response. The two had been in contact on WhatsApp before the incident. Suspicious of the silence, Madzivanyika alerted fellow villagers, who launched a search operation. Muzinda's lifeless body was found two kilometres from the crossing point, while the oxen and cart were initially missing.

Police attended the scene, and the body was taken to Mvuma Hospital Mortuary for a postmortem examination. The search for the missing oxen and cart continued, culminating in their discovery six days later, 10 kilometres from the crossing point. Sadly, the oxen had already perished.

Authorities continue to warn villagers about the dangers of attempting to cross flooded rivers, especially during the rainy season.