THE serious lack of preparedness by the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) was exposed once again at the weekend when it failed to respond to a potentially catastrophic flooding disaster in some Bulawayo suburbs.
At least 100 families living near Mannigdale Dam had to be evacuated after it started spilling. However, this was after the flood waters had destroyed crops and security walls downstream. The intervention by the Bulawayo City Council’s fire department averted a major disaster.
CPU’s work has mainly been done by the fire brigade and this does not bode well in case the rains persist and more areas get flooded across the country. The government body has also been slow in reacting to the danger posed by the Tokwe-Mukorsi Dam wall that could give in any time due to water pressure.
It is scandalous that the CPU has only been given $75 000 by the government to respond to emergencies across the country caused by the heavy rains.
Besides the Masvingo villagers that have to be evacuated from the banks of Tokwe River, Tsholotsho district has also been hit by severe floods.
The Tsholotsho villagers have not received much in terms of government help since the problem of floods began sometime last week. Such shortcomings are being exposed at a time the Meteriological Services Department is warning that heavy rains would continue being experienced across the country, which means the floods, can only get worse.
There is a likelihood that more areas would experience flooding at some point in the next few days yet the CPU does not seem ready for such eventualities.
The CPU should be sending out flood warnings to areas that are likely to be affected in addition to moving people to safer ground before disaster strikes.
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Most of the affected villagers would also need food assistance and the $75 000 would be inadequate. Its time the government took the unfolding disaster seriously by allocating the CPU adequate resources.
