Flash Floods Affect 250 Families In Beitbridge
More than 250 families were affected by flash floods that hit Beitbridge town recently, the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) has said.
The floods affected residents of the Dulibadzimu suburb following a torrential downpour last week.
Speaking to ZBC News, one of Dulibadzimu residents said flash floods have become a perennial nightmare for them. He said:
For us, the rainy season comes with nightmares. When it rains at night, we wake up in a pool of water right inside our bedrooms.
What is more worrying is that we experience this almost on an annual basis and we feel hard done by our council.
Beitbridge CPU chairperson, Sikhangezile Mafu said the government is mobilising resources to continue assisting the families affected by the flash floods. She said:
While we move in to assist affected families, it is necessary that the council employ a long-term solution because we cannot be witnessing such catastrophes each time it rains. We need to decisively deal with this.
Beitbridge Mayor, Councillor Munyaradzi Chitsuke, said the long-term solution to the problem of flooding is to renew the suburb. Said Chutsuke:
Dulibadzimu floods are giving us sleepless nights as the council. We are working on strategies for building our capacity to relocate those houses in the long run.
Strategic partnerships with developers to renew this old suburb might be the ultimate solution.
Beitbridge Town Council is also mulling de-silting the Wamlala River which is now flowing into some parts of the Dulibadzimu suburb.
