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CPD mobilises resources for flood victims

Talent Gore,Herald Correspondent

The Civil Protection Department (CPD) is mobilising food and non-food items for people affected by flash floods that hit some parts of the country over the weekend.

The department is mobilising blankets, clothes and food to assist the flood victims mainly in Hwange, Gweru, Gokwe and Silobela.

It is understood that the situation in Hwange was normalising with part of the 35 families displaced by the flood beginning go back to their homes while others remain at the guest house where they got shelter from Hwange Colliery Company Limited.

On Saturday most areas received heavy rains, with Hwange recording 139mm in three hours resulting in flash floods.

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The floods affected 70 families with 35 of them left in a dire situation.

In Chegutu, Gweru and Silobela, the rains blocked drains causing flash floods.

About 30 families whose houses were swept away recently in Gokwe have received aid from the Government.

CPD director Mr Nathan Nkomo said they were prepared to assist people in the event of more flash floods, adding that blankets, food and clothes were being mobilised for flood victims.

“As a department, we are fully geared for any eventualities and we are making contingent planning processes for non-food items,” he said.

“We have structures and in the event that more flash floods happen, we are prepared. The unfortunate part is that flash floods cannot be tracked, they are more like accidents they just happen. So yes, we can prepare to respond and move people to safer ground in the event that the floods have happened,” he said.

Mr Nkomo said some of the people affected by the Hwange flash floods had gone back to their homes.

“When the flash floods hit Hwange, it almost caused serious damage; property was not damaged but homes were flooded and some of the affected people have since gone back to their homes,” said Mr Nkomo.

Last week, the Meteorological Services Department issued a warning that heavy rains that could cause destruction to infrastructure and result in flash floods in some areas, were expected.

HERALD

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