The Civil Protection Unit (CPU) has confirmed that three people died after being swept away by flooded rivers following Cyclone Eloise’s heavy rains and strong winds that hit parts of Chipinge district on Friday evening.
Chipinge District CPU chairperson, Mr William Mashava, told The Sunday Mail that authorities were monitoring the situation. He said:
The first victim was found upstream of Bangazaan (Budzi) Dam.
His body was discovered by children who were fishing. We are looking for his relatives after locals failed to identify him.
The second victim was swept away along Chiriga River when he was returning from drinking beer with friends at night.
Another victim was an elderly woman coming from a funeral in Musirizwi communal lands and attempted to cross a flooded river.
The CPU says the Cyclone damaged 15 houses in Gumiro Village, Mapungwana area in Ward 14; a science laboratory block at Mt Selinda High School and toilets at Green Valley Primary School were destroyed.
Cyclone Eloise also caused a mudslide between Chipinge and Tanganda, with large boulders blocking some roads.
Fears abound over the possibility of dams such as Watershed, Bangazzan and Mutakura spilling and causing flooding.
Resultantly, several evacuation centres have been set up in Chipinge to accommodate those affected by the cyclone.
