Five children have been confirmed dead and two others are missing after a dam collapse in eastern Zimbabwe, caused by heavy rainfall. The incident caught children off guard as they engaged in daily activities near a river, and rescue operations are currently underway.
In a tragic incident in eastern Zimbabwe, five children lost their lives following the collapse of a dam, with rescue efforts ongoing for two additional children who remain missing. The incident occurred after heavy rainfall led to the dam’s breach at a farm in Chipinge, a rural district, as reported by the country’s disaster management agency.
Initially, fatalities included a four-year-old girl, who was doing laundry with her mother, and a 30-year-old man, while the girl’s mother managed to survive. As the search progressed, four more bodies of children were recovered over the week, prompting emergency rescue operations due to other missing children in the vicinity.
The Civil Protection Unit emphasized that heavy flooding inundated downstream villages, unexpectedly catching children who were engaged in fishing or laundry by a nearby river. The disaster also caused damage to agricultural equipment and resulted in livestock deaths.
Rescue teams comprising Civil Protection Unit members, police, and local community volunteers have been actively searching for the two missing children, aged eight and four. This incident follows a period marked by significant rainfall throughout Zimbabwe, contrasting with the recent drought that the nation had experienced, marking it as a year of severe weather challenges.
The recent dam collapse in eastern Zimbabwe not only resulted in the tragic loss of five young lives but also highlighted the severe impact of extreme weather patterns on local communities. Ongoing rescue efforts reflect a strong commitment to locate the remaining missing children, amidst significant flooding that has disrupted lives and livelihoods in the region.
Original Source: abcnews.go.com
