About 4 000 families living upstream and downstream of what will become the country’s largest inland dam, Tokwe Mkhorsi, are being evacuated to higher ground after the dam wall cracked.
TATENDA CHITAGU OWN CORRESPONDENT
The rock-fill wall on the downstream side of the dam gave in to high water pressure and there has been seepage since Tuesday.
The initial dam wall is currently filled with rocks but is due to get a concrete lining and waterproof membrane. When complete, the dam wall would be 89 metres high. It currently stands at 57 metres.
Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Kudakwashe Bhasikiti said while those downstream would be affected if the dam wall totally gives in or overspills, those upstream are also being evacuated as the water levels continue to rise due to the amount of water coming from feeder rivers.
“We have started evacuating those upstream who were supposed to be resettled in phases…. We have also put those downstream on high alert in the event that the water levels continue to rise,” said Bhasikiti.
The dam is 70% full, something which was not anticipated given the erratic rainfall patterns that Masvingo has experienced in the last decade.
Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) chief executive officer Albert Muyambo said they were making frantic efforts to ensure that the water does not overspill from the dam.
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“Our team is not resting as there are now two shifts with the other working overnight to arrest the rising water levels.
“While we continue to build the wall to make sure that we are ahead of the water level, we have opened two spillways so that the water also finds some exit through other channels,” said Muyambo.
“While there has been seepage, this is not the end dam wall and the problem will only come if the water overspills because it will wash away the stones on the downstream wall.
“The dam wall has not been washed away or collapsed.”
He said they would only fix the leakage once the water level subsides.
