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Walter Nyamukondiwa Kariba Bureau

A Kariba man escaped with injuries after an elephant attacked this morning as incidents of human-wildlife conflict continue to increase in the resort town.

The incident occurred along Mahombekombe Township’s main road in the Local Board area around 4am when the elephant dragged him into a nearby thicket.

Neighbours heard screams as the panicking man, believed to be a member of the apostolic sect was crying out for help.

By a stroke of luck, the man managed to escape the elephant’s grip before running to the nearby Methodist Church.

He had sustained injuries on the right leg.

The injured man reportedly ran to find a vehicle that took him to seek medical attention at Kariba District Hospital.

Mr Costain Machingura who heard noises including the trumpeting of the enraged elephant woke up from his nearby bedroom to find the elephant still searching for man.

“The elephant was in a combative mode when I arrived on the scene after hearing noises including the screams of a man,” he said.

“I went outside and found it still looking for him. He is lucky as it is quiet unusual for the elephant to miss its target. I saw a man running some distance away before we saw the man coming back in a vehicle on his way to the hospital.”

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo confirmed the incident saying that Zimparks rangers were current looking for the problem animal.

“Our rangers are on the ground as always trying to account for the problem animal while efforts are underway to teach communities on animal behaviours so that we minimise human-wildlife conflict,” said Mr Farawo.