Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
THE Civil Protection Unit (CPU) has said Gwayi and uMzingwane catchment areas in Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South respectively fall under the category of places facing a risk of extreme flooding.
This is contained in a report compiled following an assessment conducted by CPU in the country’s rural provinces last year.
Responding to emailed questions from Chronicle, CPU deputy director Ms Sibusisiwe Ndlovu said the two catchment areas were among areas facing extreme risk of flooding.
She said the CPU study excluded urban areas which were generally not susceptible to flooding.
“The Gwayi River Catchment has the largest share of the extreme flood hazard followed by Sanyati, uMzingwane and Manyame. The others Runde, Save and Mazowe catchments also have certain areas in the extreme hazard zone,” Ms Ndlovu said.
She said the CPU study grouped flooding risks into five categories: extreme, very high, high, moderate and low flood risk.
Ms Ndlovu said most parts of the country were free from flooding.
“As can be seen from the results of the study about 92 percent of the country is safe from flooding that is low risk, therefore most of the emergencies that arise can be mitigated through appropriate measures such as appropriate land use planning, appropriate building designs among other measures,” said Ms Ndlovu.
She said despite the classifications on flooding, all homes and infrastructure built inside rivers or on river banks, downstream to dams, on wetlands and mountain edges or foothills as well as on urban settings where drainage systems are defective face the threat of flooding.
Ms Ndlovu said the study was informed by previous floods, drawing lessons from Cyclone Eline of 2000. “We are planning to have a floodplain management framework in place this year which will guide prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response and early recovery with regards to the flood hazard. The framework will be derived primarily from the flood study but also lessons gleaned from Cyclone Eline disaster, Tokwe Mukorsi dam disaster, and also lessons of the current season,” she said.
The Meteorological Service Department has warned that the country is likely to continue receiving rains, increasing the risk of flooding.
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