PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Zimbabwe faces flooding
Harare, Zimbabwe (PANA) - Zimbabwe Wednesday put its emergency services on alert to evacuate people threatened by flooding in low-lying areas in the north of the country that have been pounded by incessant rains in recent weeks.
The Meteorological Services Department said several areas in the north, on the border with Zambia and Mozambique, faced flooding, prompting the country's Civil Protection Unit to be put on high alert.
"There has been a lot of rainfall although it has not yet translated into an emergency. However, the ground is already wet and any rainfall in excess will simply flow into the rivers resulting in flooding," Madzudzo Pawadyira, director of the Civil Protection Unit, said.
He said the unit had already deployed staff and facilities such as tents for possible evacuation in the north of the country facing the flooding threat.
The threat has been worsened by the opening of the gates to the huge Kariba dam on the Zambezi river. The gates have been opened to release excess water and protect the walls from collapsing.
Incessant rains have been pounding Zimbabwe since the beginning of the month, with some areas receiving rains more than 100 percent above normal.
But there are so far no reports of people drowning or crops being damaged.
-0- PANA RS/SEG 19Jan2011
The Meteorological Services Department said several areas in the north, on the border with Zambia and Mozambique, faced flooding, prompting the country's Civil Protection Unit to be put on high alert.
"There has been a lot of rainfall although it has not yet translated into an emergency. However, the ground is already wet and any rainfall in excess will simply flow into the rivers resulting in flooding," Madzudzo Pawadyira, director of the Civil Protection Unit, said.
He said the unit had already deployed staff and facilities such as tents for possible evacuation in the north of the country facing the flooding threat.
The threat has been worsened by the opening of the gates to the huge Kariba dam on the Zambezi river. The gates have been opened to release excess water and protect the walls from collapsing.
Incessant rains have been pounding Zimbabwe since the beginning of the month, with some areas receiving rains more than 100 percent above normal.
But there are so far no reports of people drowning or crops being damaged.
-0- PANA RS/SEG 19Jan2011
