Story by Kenias Chivuzhe
THE Bandama Dam disaster in Chipinge has tragically claimed the lives of five individuals, including a mother’s two daughters. The girls were with their mother, doing laundry, when the disaster struck.
The powerful tide swept them away, with one body being recovered approximately five kilometres from the site of the incident.
The other remains missing, and search parties continue their efforts to locate missing persons. This heartbreaking loss has left the mother devastated, as she mourns the untimely deaths of her beloved daughters.
“My two daughters were swept away while we were washing clothes. One of them was not feeling well. I tried to save them, but it was to no avail. We managed to recover one body about five kilometres downstream,” the grieving mother said.
Five bodies have been discovered by the search party, which was launched soon after the incident.
“This dam was full to capacity and could not hold the water resulting in its collapse, it used to store huge amounts of water used by local farmers for irrigation purposes,” a community member said.
“I heard the noise from a distance and was told that two children had been swept away. We tried to search for them, and we managed to find one body, but we are still looking for the second child.”
Chipinge Ward 7 Councillor, Lazarus Dhliwayo spoke on the tragic incident and the destruction downstream.
“A lot of damage has been caused as a result of the collapse of the dam. It swept away people, animals, a grinding mill and fields among in the process. The local communities are in distress and calling for help,” Dhliwayo said.
The government has pledged to assist the bereaved families.
“We are saddened but this tragic event. The government will assist the bereaved families and the ones still looking for their loved ones. Those whose property was damaged will be assisted. We are assessing other dams to avoid such eventualities,” Manicaland Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza said.
