Victoria Falls roads extensively damaged by heavy rains

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Victoria Falls residents have appealed to the local authority to repair roads and storm drains that were damaged by heavy rains that pounded the resort city on Tuesday.

The rains caused massive damage to a number of roads within the city.

The Victoria Falls-Bulawayo highway was partially damaged near the Truck Inn Stop.

Concerned residents resorted to putting stones as barriers and to warn motorists against the lurking danger after gullies formed on the roads.

Some drivers employed by shuttle services in the city said the state of the roads posed a danger to tourists, who frequently use the highway to the Victoria Falls International Airport.

 “The rains started at night and as I was driving to drop clients at the airport in the morning I saw a buffalo from a distance that had been trapped.

“It was struggling to cross over the road,” one of the drivers said.

 “I could see from a distance that there was a problem, and I started to move cautiously and as l approached I saw that one side of the road on my left had been destroyed.

 “I was lucky because if it was not for that buffalo that was struggling to cross the road I was going to be a victim together with my six clients.”

Another driver said they tried in vain to engage relevant authorities to do something about the gully on the highway, which he said existed before the rains.

“This is not a new problem, and it could have been prevented because this gulley formed years ago and it had been widening towards the road, but they never bothered to respond to our pleas to attend to it,” he said.

 “When we got here we had to look around the bush for stones to barricade the place as there was no one present to monitor traffic and there was no action being taken.”

 Along Ngugama Road in the high density suburb of Mkhosana storm drains that were still under construction were damaged by the heavy rains.

The construction of the storm drains began three months ago and residents told VicFallsLive that the trenches, some over a meter deep, posed a danger to children as they were too close to houses.

Council officials toured the Mkhosana area on Wednesday to assess the damage.

In the press statement council said the construction of the storm drains, which was meant to end in September was being done by the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme.

Council said the contractor abandoned the project due to non-payment.

“We hope that Zinara will disburse payment soon, which will enable the contractor to move back onsite to complete the project,” council said.

“Meanwhile, Council will put some temporary measures in affected areas as it continues to engage the parastatal for funds.”

 The local authority urged residents to desist from clogging the drainage system with litter.

 “Residents are also advised not to block drainage using soil in the name of seeking passage across the drain as it defeats the purpose of a drain and causes flooding,” council said.

“Council will carry out an extensive exercise to identify and fine all who clog our drainage system with building materials.

 “It is also imperative to take note of the construction dangers and we implore drivers to be responsible on the road and for parents to ensure the safety of their children.”

Most parts of Zimbabwe have been receiving heavy rains since last week