Zimbabwe: Flood Update #2 (as of 23 January 2013) 3 children die in Beitbridge, another 4,400 people affected by floods across Zimbabwe Heavy Rainfall and Heavy rains this week continued to cause damage to lives and livelihoods, Affected Districts affecting an estimated 4,475 people across Zimbabwe whose houses have Mashonaland Mashonaland Central either been submerged in water or completely destroyed. In Beitbridge, West three children died after a house collapsed following heavy rains and gashing floodwaters from the Limpopo river banks which burst after a rainstorm. Another couple was swept away in a vehicle. More deaths have Harare been reported across the country but cannot be verified at this stage. The Matabeleland Mashonaland heavy downpours have also caused major damages to agricultural lands, North destroying maize crops (the main staple), as well as disrupting public East services such as road transportation and education. The Zimbabwean and Manicaland South African border authorities temporarily shut down the border crossing at Beitbridge on 20 January following a rainstorm that flooded the Bulawayo Masvingo major highway and the New Limpopo Bridge which facilitate both personal and commercial traffic between Zimbabwe and South Africa, as well as countries such as Zambia. Matabeleland South The Department of Civil Protection (DCP) warns that water flows into the country’s major rivers and dams continue to significantly rise due to heavy Heavy Rainfall rains, increasing the risk of major flooding in coming days or weeks. Heavy Rainfall and damage Major flooding threats remain high in Muzarabani in Mashonaland Central and Chikwalakwala in Matebelebaland South which are traditionally flood Matebeleland North prone areas and have already faced some minor flooding incidents. On 21 In Tsholotsho, some 500 homesteads are reported to have collapsed affecting January, the Air Force of Zimbabwe was deployed to evacuate villagers some 100 families . The local government authorities provided $100 per from Chikwalakwala. family to support immediate needs in food. The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society has also provided emergency shelter kits and NFIs. The main provinces that have been affected by floods and where humanitarian consequences have required response from the Government Masvingo and humanitarian partners are in Matebeleland South, Matebeleland North, According to an assessment conducted by Plan International in Masvingo, 23 Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Masvingo and Midlands. The DCP, schools have been affected in five districts in Masvingo Province. Impact supported by OCHA, IOM, the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society, Plan ranges from roof tops being blown away, toilets collapsing and classroom International and Christian Care have conducted assessments in affected walls falling. In some locations, the impact is yet to be assessed. The DCP locations and are providing humanitarian assistance. There is an estimated reports that the bridge across Bubi linking Chiredzi and Chikwalakwala has 4,475 people affected across Zimbabwe; IOM has verified 2,820 people been swept away. through assessments. IOM has been leading response in support to the DCP, on emergency shelter and other Non-Food Items (NFIs), providing In Chiredzi, 18 households in Mupinga were assisted by IOM with blankets assistance to an estimated 1,155 people with tarpaulins and NFIs (blankets, and NFIs. Another 58 households had their houses destroyed in Nyagambe cooking utensils, clothes and hygiene kits). There is an estimated 2,325 ward. The families have not yet received assistance. IOM says another 283 people still awaiting assistance that is currently being mobilized. households in Triangle, Mpapa and Zororai require some NFI assistance as district authorities have provided some food relief to the families that are sheltering at Zororai community hall. Manicaland The DCP supported by OCHA, Goal, Zimbabwe Red Cross Society and Plan International conducted a rapid assessment on floods in Nyanga on 17 January. The team noted that the floods had caused damages to four bridges rendering some places inaccessible. The team also noted the strong community mobilisation in coping with floods. Community members mobilised themselves and organised transportation of personal effects and facilitated safe crossing of a river by charging a nominal fee. Midlands A team comprising DCP and other government provincial officers and Christian Care undertook a field mission to assess impact of floods in Ward 29 (Nenyunga) in Gokwe South district on 21 January, 2013. The mission established that 50 households are in need of livelihoods support after losing their entire crop, some livestock and farming equipment at their irrigation site along Sengwa river. The river level rose several metres after heavy downpours in the previous week resulting in it changing course by up to 3 kilometres which led to the inundation of the entire irrigation scheme. No lives were lost but the new river course is a few meters from the local primary and secondary school, and local clinic. This has raised fears of possibility of damage to these close-by facilities as the river channel is still Commercial vehicles on a flooded road, 20 Kilometers from the Beitbridge border. Photo Courtesy of Fewsnet changing. Some efforts to relocate the clinic assets are now underway. Matebeleland South Major flooding incidents have been reported in Beitbridge (as above) and the For further information, please contact: area remains under watch as heavy rains unrelentlessly pounded the area the last three days. Paul Thomas, Officer in Charge, [email protected], Tel. (+263) 772 125 303 Thandie Mwape-Villadsen, HAO, [email protected], Tel. (+263) 772 125 274 file: NK’s C:\GSDI\03_zwe_zimbabwe\01_ancillary\0108_InfoGraphics\ZIM-InfoGraphic-Flood-02_A4_23Jan2013_Zimbabwe Flash Flood - January 2013.ai ZIMBABWE: Floods Update (as of 22 January 2013) Manyame Catchment Mazowe Catchment significant flows continue to be noted in the Manyame and Current flows on Mazowe river are above Musengezi River systems. Current flow on the latter at Centenary average expected flows (191m3/s) at this is above average flows expected at this time of the year (9.7m3/s) time of year and volumes attained last year ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! and level reached the previous season (5m3/s). Downstream at ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! same time (149.7m3/s). The dam levels in ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! M! b! !ir! e! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Chidodo, Mbire District, the flow stands at 4m, lower than flooding ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! the catchment have increased by a 0.9% Hurungwe ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! threshold (7.2m), but major rainfall events can cause flooding. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! since 14 January 2013 and now stand at ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !C! !e! n! !t!e! n! !a! r! y! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Mt Darwin 80.3% full on average. K!a! riba Urban Manyame Rushinga MASHONALAND Sanyati Catchment Karoi Guruve Affected Areas: Nyangombe bridge swept !! CENTRAL Gwayi Catchment 4.2% increase in the dam levels Kariba Urban away UMP Rapid increase in dam levels since the 14th of January and Mudzi of 10.0% since 14 January 2013 level stands at 70% full. MASHONALAND Shamva Bindura Mazowe ! Current average dam levels at More flooding in Gokwe likely WEST Chinhoyi Bi!ndura !! 76.6% full. if rainfall activity continues. Urban Urban Mazowe Mutoko Gokwe Makonde Zvimba Goromonzi North ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Affected Areas: Tamuhla area Affected Areas: Flooding along ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! HARARE ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! S! ! ! ! a! ! ! n! yati ! Murehwa along Gwayi river U! ! m! ! ! e! ! ,! ! S! ! !e! !n! !g! !w! ! !a! ! a! ! !n! !d! ! !D! ! a! ! n! ! d! ! e! ! ! R! ! ! i!v! !e! !r!s! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! V! !ic! !to! ! r!i!a! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !