By Correspondent
By Correspondent
Various areas located in wetlands and other low-lying areas experienced flooding after torrential rains on Sunday afternoon.
The windy storm caught many unprepared with Harare City Council only issuing a red alert on the same day.
Several suburbs including Mbare, Kuwadzana Extension, Glaudina, Granary Park, Highfield, Waterfalls and Budiriro expericed flash floods.
“It was serious.
“We are located in a low lying area where waters from both Kuwadzana, Dzivaresekwa, Glaudina and Granary converge.
“We had to scurry around with buckets to stop the water from filling our house,” said Adrien Bango, a resident of Kuwadzana Extension.
The situation was similar in Granary especially Phase 3 which is also located along a belt of wetland.
“We are now looking to raise our floors to try and stop the rain from easily getting in,” Trymore Benyu a victim added.
Many residents have been sold stands in wetlands and other flood-prone areas in Harare.
Disappearing Wetlands
An analysis by Harare Wetlands Trust, using field surveys and Google Earth imagery, found that wetlands across Harare declined by 50% between 2007 and 2019.
The organization attributes the loss to cultivation, housing developments and illegal settlements.
Budiriro 1 and Budiriro 5, two high-density suburbs of Harare were once separated by a wetland.
However, today they are separated by “Budiriro 3 Extension”, an illegally built settlement of temporary homes.
As a result of this, important functions performed by the wetland have been lost, causing flooding, frequent sewer outbursts and increased levels of phosphorus in the water.
Wetlands act as natural sponges for rain.
Because so many have been destroyed, heavy flooding has become a norm in the Harare suburbs of Budiriro and Mabvuku.
The Department of Meteorological Services has warned of normal to above-normal rainfall for Harare this season.
The speed and severity of the flooding have also exposed Harare’s s deteriorating drainage network.
This has left many questioning the council’s preparedness and capacity to manage urban infrastructure.
