Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. Four children were tragically swept away by a flash flood after falling asleep under a bridge while sheltering from the rain with their parents in Gokwe last Friday.
Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko, spokesperson for the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in Midlands Province, confirmed the incident to The Herald. He said:
The incident occurred at around 3.30 AM when a congregation of an apostolic church sect of about 20 people was praying near Tare Bridge along Gokwe-Siabuwa Road.
When light rain began falling on the Johane Masowe adherents, who were out in the open, they sought shelter under a bridge on the dry riverbed.
However, as the rain intensified upstream, a sudden surge of floodwater swept in, catching them off guard.
Mahoko said that while the adults were able to wake up and escape, the four children tragically drowned. He said:
Two children are from Kamba Village and their names are Beauty and Devine Mavhiringani (9 months and 4 years old).
The other two are Pamela Natare (1 year 9 months old) of Tsive Village and Effort Shava (3) of Mudzimiri Village.
The bodies of Devine, Pamela and Effort were later found at the river bank between one kilometre and about 20 kilometres from Tare Bridge.
The retrieved bodies were taken to Gokwe South District Hospital Mortuary and investigations are still underway.
Mahoko said that a search is still ongoing to locate Beauty’s body.
The Civil Protection Unit (CPU) reported that heavy rainfall in Gokwe South, Midlands Province, caused the Tare River to overflow its banks.
The CPU also confirmed the deaths of the four children, adding that it had facilitated their burial through Doves Funeral Services.
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