800 families evacuated as floods persist:Red Cross
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800 families evacuated as floods persist:Red Cross

MORE than 800 families have been evacuated from their homes so far as flooding continues to affect most parts of the country due to heavy rains, an international humanitarian group has said.

This detail comes after state radio reported that 10 people had died with authorities confirming that efforts were underway to rescue the stranded.

According to Red Cross Society as of January 4, more than 800 people were in dire need of assistance with some having climbed up the trees for survival especially in low lying areas.

“Continued rains around Zimbabwe have triggered emergencies with lives being claimed in the process,” said Red Cross Zimbabwe’s spokesperson, Takemore Mazuruse in a statement Sunday afternoon.

“Zimbabwe Red Cross Society provincial structures around the country are responding and continue monitoring the situation while strategising on response mechanisms together with officials from the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) and the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare,” said Mazuruse.

Alerts from the humanitarian group’s provincial structures highlight varying rain induced emergencies with affected areas in dire need of intervention.

Most of the families, according to Red Cross, will require food and clothing as well as blankets for warmth.

The group said affected areas are Mbire, Mukumbura, Muzarabani in Mashonaland Central province, Zvimba in Mashonaland West and other parts of Mashonaland East as the rains continue pounding.

“Other affected areas include Gokwe in Midlands where 19 houses have collapsed with many more in danger.  In Mashonaland Central, 60 families in Mbire and Kanyemba have been displaced while in Muzarabani 80 households need assistance.

“In Mukumbura about 150 households have also been displaced,” Mazuruse said.

Government officials on the other hand revealed that a school in Mbire has also been damaged and will require urgent attention before schools open.

“In Masvingo, Chiredzi district, 32 houses in the Malipati area have been damaged with reports of other affected areas in the province streaming in,” the Red Cross team said.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological department forecasts continued rains in most parts of the country at a time emergency response stocks are at the lowest.

Last season more than 3000 families were displaced in the Tokwe-Murkosi flood basin and were relocated to Mwenezi in the Nuanetsi Ranch.

 

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