Ten villagers have been stranded for four days on an island in the Save River at Mahenye Village, Ward 23, Chipinge District, as rescue operations began on Tuesday, 20 January 2026.
Chipinge District Development Coordinator (DDC) William Mashava, who chairs the District Civil Protection Committee (DCPC), told The Manica Post that government agencies and private experts have been deployed to evacuate the marooned villagers. Said Mashava:
“We have 10 villagers who have been marooned for the past four days at Lisungwe Island, which is on the Save River.
“Those villagers carry out farming and fishing activities on that island.
“Last year, we had the same challenges as our calls for them not to farm on that piece of land fell on deaf ears.
“We have since engaged the Zimbabwe National Army, Zimbabwe Republic Police Sub Aqua Unit and private players with engine-powered boats to assist us with the evacuation exercise.
“We continue to urge citizens to adhere to advice from authorities.”
The Save River, the country’s largest inland river, continues to swell due to heavy rainfall in its catchment area.
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