BULAWAYO – Maize fields and homes turned into rivers after heavy rains over the weekend into Monday night caused widespread flooding in Binga, Matabeleland North.
Scores of villagers sought shelter in trees and others slept in the mountains after rivers burst their banks, locals said.
Several bridges have been swept away, while some have been damaged – preventing emergency responders from reaching some of the affected populations.
“Villagers are marooned in Sinakoma ward and the situation is dire. Livestock was swept away in the Sungwale area,” the Binga Residents Association tweeted.
One report claimed a man had been swept away by the floods in front of his wife.
The heaviest floods were being experienced in Nagangala, Nsungwale and Chitetete areas, according to Binga resident John Mutale.
“The main road connecting Binga and Siabuwa has been cut off. The place is low lying and needs a bridge. A stretch of that road has been taken away by floods. No vehicle can access Siabuwa from Binga centre and vice versa,” Mutale told ZimLive.
The Binga district administrator was leading emergency response teams to the affected areas on Tuesday. Schools across the district were closed and villagers were heading to higher ground with their few belongings which survived the floods.
Heavy rains were experienced across Zimbabwe over the weekend. The incessant downpours caused flooding in low lying areas, but Binga, which is on the south eastern shore of Lake Kariba, appears to be the most affected.
