Families Left Stranded by Heavy Rains in Zimbabwe

By Xinhua 

December 23, 2023

Heavy rains that pounded Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital, over the past few days have left some families in the south-western suburbs marooned, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) announced on Friday.

“The ZRP reported a sad incident where nearly 15 houses were submerged in water in Budiriro 4 Paddock area, Harare,” ZRP announced on X, formally known as Twitter. “Several people were marooned and rescued by ZRP Sub-Aqua Unit while a six-year-old minor is missing after heavy rains which pounded Harare and surrounding areas,” said the police. The police also announced that its Sub-Aqua Unit had rescued 19 families Thursday night and Friday in another south-western Harare suburb of Kuwadzana where some houses had been submerged in water.

Many parts of Zimbabwe have been receiving heavy downpours over the past week, and some informal settlements in low-lying areas with poor drainage systems have been heavily affected.