Story by Kenias Chivuzhe
THE search operation for two missing children continues in Chipinge following the tragic Bandama Dam disaster on Sunday, which claimed five lives.
After the discovery of the fifth body on Monday night, two children remain unaccounted for.
On Tuesday, the Deputy Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Engineer Benjamin Kabikira, together with the Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development, Honourable Vangelis Haritatos, visited the affected communities.
They expressed their condolences and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing support to the bereaved families.
“The dam is now empty, and we have toured along the river and witnessed a lot of damage. We have brought food to assist affected and bereaved families. We will move in with speed to reconstruct this bridge. We have also visited Newcastle Dam, and there is a similar challenge as it has a crack,” Engineer Kabikira said.
“There is a need for stakeholders to compliment the government in assisting the local communities. We have seen structures downstream of the breached dam and Newcastle dam, and these settlements need to be removed. The DDC must find alternative land and move people to more secure places. At the moment, another breach of the dam can be catastrophic. Our priority is to save lives, and we need to learn from this disaster,” Honourable
Haritatos said.
The government officials also visited Newcastle Dam in the same area, amid indications that it has also developed a crack owing to incessant rains.
