‘Life is hell’: Zimbabwe flood survivors lament loss of land, livelihoods
Al Jazeera
Survivors say the government is yet to offer full compensation for the flooding that happened almost 10 years ago.
Harare, Zimbabwe – Every day for the past 10 years, Trymore Wadyachitsve has regretted living in Chingwizi, a community 500km (310 miles) south of Harare, the Zimbabwean capital.
Until February 13, 2014, he lived in the Tugwi Mukosi area 150km (90 miles) away from his home today. But then floods displaced 60,000 people in and around the area, which is home to the largest inland dam in the Southern African country – measuring 90.3 metres (296 ft) tall and creating a 1.75-billion-cubic-metre (385-billion-gallon) reservoir.
That day, the heaviest rain in 40 years fell, causing water levels at the dam to spike. The dam, still incomplete at the time, was breached, and many homesteads in the surrounding areas were flooded.
The government declared a state of emergency in the affected areas, launching rescue and relief efforts. The military also came with marching orders.
“The soldiers came and told us to leave, and we left,” Wadyachitsve, now 48, told Al Jazeera. “I thought I would be back after the floods.”
