Nesia Mhaka,Herald Correspondent

Zimbabwe is expected to continue receiving rains up to Monday, with some parts of the country expected to experience flash floods, Meteorological Service Department (MSD) deputy director Mrs Linia Gopo has said.

For the past week, most parts of the country have received high rainfall in line with an earlier forecast by the MSD.

In a statement yesterday, Mrs Gopo said: “Rainfall was being experienced in most parts of the country since Wednesday 8 January 2020. Thunderstorms (are) expected till Monday 20 January and heavy downpours in places. Thus there is a potential of flash flooding in flood prone areas.

“There is a high pressure system which is expected to be ridging in from Friday night into Saturday causing the convergence in the country and that’s on Saturday and Sunday, we should expect an increase in the rainfall activity. Even though we have been receiving the rains, we are also expecting an increase in terms of the total amounts of rainfall in most parts of the country especially in the eastern, southern and northern parts of the country.”

Mrs Gopo said it was important to note that the spatial distribution of the rainfall was very poor throughout this period.

She added that the unstable condition over the country resulted in widespread thunderstorms with heavier falls exceeding 50mm in Matabeleland and Mashonaland Central Province.

“As such, noteworthy falls were 101mm in Chibero, 95mm in Chegutu NRZ, 55mm in Gokwe, 54mm in Mutasa DC and 50mm in Henderson,” she said.

From Tuesday next week, rainfall activity is expected to decline, with a dry spell expected from then going forward.

“Farmers are also urged to harvest water since less rainfall is projected from next week going forward,” said Mrs Gopo.

The public has been advised to remain alert for flash floods in low-lying areas, hail and damaging winds.