Gweru City Council (GCC) yesterday evacuated residents from various suburbs affected by flash floods to temporary shelters following incessant rains that pounded the city.
With a humanitarian disaster looming following heavy rains
that pounded Gweru from morning till evening, hundreds of houses were left
flooded.
Residents of Woodlands, Ascot, Mambo, Mkoba 4, Riverside,
Nashville and Mtapa suburbs fought a losing battle trying to scoop water from
their houses. They lost property including food and some medicines after water
flowed into their houses.
The affected areas are all in low-lying areas. Chronicle
went around the city and observed a sorry state of affairs for the residents
and some business owners who witnessed their property being destroyed by flash
floods.
In Riverside, precast walls were also destroyed and many
roads were impassable because of the flash floods.
From around 10am up to 5pm heavy rains pounded Gweru in a
development that left residents pleading for assistance from the local
authority.
The flooding was intense and residents tried to put furniture
like beds of top of wardrobes or fridges to save them from being drenched.
In Mambo, a Chronicle news crew witnessed a mother and her
children standing in water in their two roomed house.
Since January, flash floods have been experienced in
low-lying areas in Mkoba 4, Mtapa, Nashville, Riverside and Senga.
GCC working in partnership with the Civil Protection Unit
(CPU) last week activated processes to mitigate against any loss of lives.
While no lives have been lost to date, residents have lost
property such as furniture, precast walls and food. To avert loss of life,
temporary shelters have been put in place in Mkoba, Mtapa, Ascot, Senga and
Ivene.
GCC has identified its schools and beer halls to be used as
the temporary shelters. Gweru City Council public relations officer Ms Vimbai
Chingwaramusee said most affected residents were from Mkoba 4 (Dewa Road),
Tinshel suburb, Woodlands, Mtapa, Nashville and Ascot Extension.
Ms Chingwaramusee said temporary shelters in Senga training
centre, Mpumelelo Primary School, Takawira Primary School, Budiriro Primary
School, Matongo Primary School, Mtapa Hall, Shumba Hall, Mkoba Hall, Ingwe
Hall, Ascot Beer Hall and Senga Beer Hall have started receiving affected
residents.
“We have started evacuating residents who have been
affected by flash floods across the city. Right now, we have been evacuating
residents from Woodlands; Ascot; Mambo, Mkoba 4; Riverside; Nashville; Mtapa to
temporary structures,” said Ms Chingwaramusee.
She said GCC is working in partnership with the CPU and the
Department of Social Welfare. Ms Chingwaramusee said council employees were in
place to assist residents evacuate to the temporary structures.
She said food and other needs will be provided for those
who will be accommodated in the temporary shelters.
The floods have claimed the lives of six people including
the driver Tinashe Chiwawa of Gweru City Council who drowned when the vehicle
they were travelling in was swept away by floods at the flooded Gweru River
bridge on Sunday last week. Chronicle
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