Tugwi-Mukosi Full, 800 Families Already Affected

By Martha Leboho

Over 800 households in Chivi are living in fear of losing properties and livestock as the country’s largest in-land water body Tugwi-Mukosi records the highest water level in this year 2021 summer season.

The dam which is likely to spill over due to excessive rains is sad to affect a total number of 800 families in Masvingo Province while the nations prepares for another tropical storm named Eloise.

Masvingo Province hasn’t been spared from the vagaries of the previous cyclones and climatic effects that affected the country since 2016.

District Development Coordinator, Masvingo Province, (DDC) Innocent Matingwina said over 800 households are going to be affected with the spillage of Tugwi-Mukosi as the water is rising by two percent daily.

“Ward 22, 24, 27, 28, and 31 are likely to be affected by the spillage if necessary measures are not taken in time” he said.

The Civil Protection Unit (CPU) is carrying out awareness campaigns and village heads has been advised to educate communities to be alert and avoid fishing activities downstream, herding cattle along the river and avoid crossing flooded rivers.

“People responded positively, some have started moving to their relatives in higher ground and as government we have identified evacuation centers at Gororo, Zunga primary school and Ngundu Hall while we are busy making the centers habitable” said Matingwina.

As of today, The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) Corporate Communications Officer, Tsungirirai Shoriwa confirmed that Tugwi-Mukosi is at 95.2 percent full capacity, which is the highest ever recorded since the completion of its construction.