Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. Two police officers and their four-month-old daughter drowned after their vehicle was swept away as they attempted to cross a flooded river on 17 December.
ZimLive reported that the incident occurred at Kana River which cuts across the road between Gomoza in Lupane and Kambe in Manoti, Gokwe.
Two other passengers aged 19 and 5 escaped from the Ford Ranger and swam to safety.
Police identified the deceased as Moses Manyongodo, a 35-year-old police constable based at ZRP Lupane Traffic; his wife 30-year-old detective constable Ireen Muzamba and their daughter Hellen Manyongodo.
Manyongodo was reportedly driving towards Kambe Business Centre in Manoti when he found the Kana River flooded. Police:
He drove the vehicle into the flooded river in an attempt to cross. After getting to the middle of the bridge, the vehicle was swept away by the current for about 45 metres before it got submerged in the water.
The three victims drowned whilst still in the vehicle. Their bodies were ferried to Gokwe South District Hospital mortuary.
Manyongodo was off duty on the day and his wife was on maternity leave.
Zimbabwe records numerous cases of vehicles being swept away by raging floods at bridges every rainy season.
Some bridges are low-lying, especially, in rural areas, and a slight increase in the river volumes can have catastrophic consequences for motorists.
In some cases, there won’t be alternative routes and as a result, motorists are forced to either cancel their journeys, wait for long periods until the water subsides, or drive across the river risking drowning.
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