Beitbridge floods leave 568 stranded

AT least 568 people were left stranded after 200 houses were affected by flash floods in Dulibadzimu suburb in Beitbridge after heavy rains accompanied by a thunderstorm pounded the area since Friday. It is understood that the town received around 107mm of rainfall on Friday, the highest ever per day in the last seven years.Weather projections are that a similar storm will be witnessed in the town in the next seven days.

Most of the flood victims had to sleep on rooftops after water filled their houses up to window level. Vagrants and beggars who stay along a stream in Dulibadzimu suburb were also not spared by the floods.

In separate interviews yesterday, the residents who were affected by floods for the second time after going through the same problem in January 2012 said the water started streaming into their houses around 9pm on Friday.

The Minister of State for National Security, Kembo Mohadi who is also the legislator for Beitbridge East constituency visited the area early yesterday morning to assess the damage and donated an assortment of food items. He was accompanied by his wife and Senator for Beitbridge Tambudzani Mohadi, Beitbridge West constituency Member of Parliament, Metrine Mudau, Beitbridge Town Council chairperson Showa Moyo and the town secretary Mr Loud Ramakgapola among senior officials from the district.

"The situation is really bad and we sympathise with the affected families during their greatest hour of need. We are working with the local Civil Protection Unit to provide them with alternative shelter and food while we monitor the situation. They lost a lot of property, food items, clothes, money among other household items which were either washed away by floods or submerged in water" said Kembo Mohadi.

Mr Ramakgapola said they have started working on the drainage system in the area and were also working on a long term plan to move the residents from the low lying area. Mr Ramakgapola said the worst affected were businesses and those residents living close to Dulibadzimu Bus Terminus and council hostels.

He said besides damaging houses, the rains also left a trail of destruction in the town especially on the roads, sewer reticulation systems, stadium and other social amenities.

The town council chairperson, Moyo said they were engaging businesses with warehouses to accommodate the victims' properties while their situation is being addressed.

Acting Beitbridge Civil Protection Unit chairperson Mrs Kiliboni Ndou said they were working on moving the affected residents to either Vhembe Secondary or Beitbridge Mission Primary schools respectively until the situation had normalised.

"We have mobilised food and other basic needs for them. As we speak tents are being pitched some that we can house them in while the local authority attends to the drainage system in the area. They will return to their houses when we are very certain that it is safe. We also want to urge members of the community to be on high alert and raise alarm as soon at the situation in their respective areas gets abnormal so that they can be assisted at the earliest possible time," she said. Mrs Ndou said those who wished to extend help to the flood victims should visit or contact the District (Beitbridge) Administrators' office.