Story by Tapiwa Machemedze
A sudden surge of water from Ran Mine in Bindura caused alarm among residents of Chipadze Friday morning, raising concerns about contamination and potential health risks.
Heavy rains that fell on Bindura Thursday night led to unexpected chaos as floodwaters overflowed into homes and churches in Chipadze.
When ZBC News arrived at the scene, the water had receded, but residents were still reeling from the shock of the flooding. Many expressed concerns about contamination since the water originated from the nearby Ran Mine.
“This happened at around 3 am when the water came from the mine, flowing down their dam, it filled the church and then got into some of the houses. Now we do not understand what this is,” a concerned resident said.
“We were surprised when we saw water flowing from Ran Mine. We woke up and went and told them water was flowing from their dam, kindly asking them for a solution.
“We have stayed here for so many years and never encountered such a problem, it is their water, they should correct this situation, where will we get drinking water? How will we bath?”
Ran Mine’s Corporate Affairs Manager, Mr Jack Murehwa, alleviated concerns about potential chemical contamination, stating that the mine is situated on a hill and that the water mainly comes from run-off.
He added that tests have been conducted, confirming no contamination has been found.
The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) Provincial Environment and Publicity Officer, Mr Maxwell Mupotsa, mentioned that the agency is collaborating with relevant stakeholders to address safety concerns effectively.
“We are on-site together with Ran Mine and we are trying to come to a consensus on what needs to be done, and we have given them the order to neutralise the area that was affected,” he said.
The recent flooding at Ran Mine serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by heavy rains in mining areas.
EMA has urged miners to step up safety measures and reinforce their infrastructure, including slime dams, to prevent the release of effluent into the environment.
