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Masvingo Bureau
THE evacuation of over 2 000 families under threat from rising water in the Tokwe-Murkosi Dam flood basin in Chivi continued at a slow pace yesterday with the Masvingo provincial leadership appealing for at least six tractors to expedite the exercise. Affected families used scotch-carts to take their belongings to higher ground after over 20 trucks mobilised for the relocation failed to access most areas because of the extremely wet and muddy surface in the area.

The Tokwe-Murkosi relocation co-ordinating committee said shortage of funds was also hampering progress as central Government was yet to accede to a request for US$8,9 million for the exercise. Masvingo Provincial Minister of State Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, who monitored the evacuation exercise, yesterday said they had secured only two tractors.

“We need quite a number of tractors that can negotiate the wet and muddy terrain to access some families who are under threat from the water in the flood basin. The few that we have managed to secure from DDF, first need to be repaired and also need other things like fuel.

“The big trucks that we have mobilised to transport the families are failing to access most areas and this is obviously slowing down the exercise but we are happy that some families have already moved to high ground and built make shift pole huts,’’ said Minister Bhasikiti.
He said both humans and livestock would be concurrently evacuated to the Chingwizi area in the Nuanetsi Ranch.

Minister Bhasikiti said they had so far managed to secure 600 tents for temporary shelter from various sources including humanitarian organisations.

“The tents have already been taken to Chingwizi in the Nuanetsi Ranch where they will temporarily shelter the families while they are await the setting up of permanent structures.’’

He added Government remained on high alert to ensure families downstream of Tokwe-Murkosi Dam are out of danger in the event the wall give in to the rising water pressure.