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Mashudu Netsianda\Nomvelo Siziba, Chronicle Reporters

THE victims of flash floods experienced in Nsungwale area under Chief Sinakoma in Binga district in Matabeleland North gave distressing tales of how they incredibly waded through the violent and merciless floods.

Mr Tennis Bumi Munkuli (84) was the only victim who died after he was swept away by the floods following the torrential rains that pounded the area.

The incessant downpours caused flooding in low lying areas of Binga and Nsungwale was one of the worst affected in the largely rural Matabeleland North province.

Villagers who spoke to the Chronicle said they had to abandon their homes in low lying areas and sought refuge in the mountains. 

Some, like Mr Munkuli who were marooned in the fields, sought shelter on treetops, but sadly he was swept away as his wife, Mrs Janet Munkuli (70) watched helplessly.

Mrs Munkuli, who is still traumatised, relived the memories of the fateful day, giving a rather grim picture of how she witnessed her husband being swept away by the raging waters.

“It was on a Sunday and we were in the fields weeding when it started raining. It rained continuously for about four hours and we watched the water levels rising, but we didn’t realise it would result in flooding,” she said.

Mrs Munkuli continued: “As the water levels continued to rise to waist level, I started panicking and sensing danger, I climbed up the ingazi (Tonga granary) for safety purposes and my husband remained behind collecting our cooking utensils.”

She said her husband was caught up in the floods resulting in him climbing a tree to escape the rising flow of water.  As the water levels continued to rise, Mrs Munkuli managed to jumped out of the ingazi and rushed to higher ground, but unfortunately it was too late for her husband to escape the floods. 

“I watched my husband being swept away after the tree on which he had sought shelter was uprooted,” she said.

Mrs Munkuli said she tried to search for the body but it was a futile attempt as the floods continued to worsen.

She went to a nearby homestead and informed villagers.

“Villagers couldn’t search the body on that day due to the floods. The body was discovered the following day trapped about 2km away from the spot where he was swept away,” she said.

Mr Munkuli was buried on Tuesday last week in an emotional send off.

Maneta 3 Village head Mr Petros Kembo (64) also gave a horrific account of how he survived the floods together with his five grandchildren. 

He said he sought refuge in an ingazi together with his wife, five grandchildren and a few goats. “I watched helplessly from the ingazi as the floods ravaged my home. I witnessed my 10 goats, 40 chickens and five bags of maize being swept away by the flood,” said Mr Kembo.

Ms Ndubeko Muzamba (24) managed to save her three children. “I grabbed my three children aged 3, 5 and 13 and rushed to a place of safety when I discovered that the water levels were rising. The water levels had reached knee level when we sought shelter at a nearby homestead which is on higher ground,” she said.

Mr Rodrick Muzamba, who was the first person to raise alarm, said immediately after witnessing the floods, he rushed to the nearest homestead in the low-lying areas and alerted villagers.

“I was at my home which is on high ground when I saw floods. I quickly rushed to a low-lying homestead and raised alarm. I then travelled for about 3km to access network and phoned my two friends who are soldiers informing them about the floods and they in turn told me that they would alert their superiors,” he said.

Villagers including their traditional leader Chief Sinakoma said they were experiencing the floods for the first time.

Heavy rains have caused extensive damage to infrastructure in Binga where they destroyed 181 homes and swept away two bridges.

They have also severely damaged roads and homes, rendering the areas inaccessible.

Most pupils failed to attend Nsungwale Primary School last week after Nandobe Bridge was swept away. 

The director of the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) Mr Nathan Nkomo said the Rapid Assessment Team on Wednesday visited all the 13 affected villages and confirmed that 181 homes had been affected. Of the 181 homes, 37 of them were completely destroyed. 

The Government has since identified a temporary site to accommodate victims of floods and mobilised resources to assist the affected families. 

Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs Minister Cde Richard Moyo on Thursday distributed several bags of grain and food hampers to the flood victims.

Meanwhile, tour operators in Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, among other stakeholders donated an assortment of goods, which included clothes, shoes, stationery, linen, blankets, mosquito nets, kitchen utensils and toiletries to the victims. Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls chapter chairperson, Mr Arnold Musonza said their organisation saw it fit to chip in with assistance.

“We have had two floods emergencies in our region and as HAZ we felt duty bound to come on board with all other stakeholders and help Binga communities who were affected by the floods,” he said.

“Our businesses do not operate in isolation. We therefore felt there was a need to embrace the spirit of ubuntu by showing generosity to our communities. We have also pledged to do more for our people.”— @mashnets