Nehanda death toll spikes to 92

The death toll from the Kariba Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (Rida) boat disaster has risen to 92 after eight more bodies were recovered from Lake Kariba, police said on Monday.

In an update issued on Monday afternoon, police said the latest recoveries had pushed the number of confirmed deaths to 92 as search teams continued operations on the lake.

"The Kariba Rida boat accident death toll is now 92 after eight bodies were recovered from Lake Kariba," police said.

The latest figure comes a day after police reported that 84 people had died following the recovery of additional bodies on Sunday.

The search and recovery operation has been underway since August 11, when police deployed two large boats, two small boats and more than 40 sub-aqua police members to the disaster zone.

Police have also assisted the lake captain with mobility and coordinated with other Government agencies and stakeholders to ensure the identification of recovered bodies is conducted swiftly and professionally.

The disaster occurred on August 11 when the Rida-operated vessel, commonly known as the Mbuya Nehanda, capsized near Long Island while travelling from Kariba towards the Chalala fishing areas.

The vessel was authorised to carry 90 passengers, but officials said it was carrying significantly more people when it overturned in strong waves.

Earlier reports indicated that as many as 153 people could have been aboard, including 114 adults, five crew members and an unspecified number of children.

Survivors described challenging conditions on the lake, including strong waves and water entering the vessel. The disaster has also raised questions over possible overloading and compliance with maritime safety requirements.

The tragedy has prompted a large-scale search and recovery operation involving police divers, emergency agencies and other stakeholders.

The Government has declared the incident a national disaster and introduced assistance measures for affected families.

Authorities have also announced US$100 in assistance for each person involved in the accident to help families meet funeral-related costs, while the Zambezi River Authority donated US$20,000 towards the response.

Funeral arrangements and body-identification processes are being conducted in Kariba.

Police have urged relatives of missing passengers to contact the Kariba command centre or the local police station for information regarding the recovered bodies and the ongoing search.

Search operations remain underway as authorities work to recover more bodies and establish the whereabouts of those still missing.