At least nine people including a toddler and a young child have died after their vehicle was swept away by raging floodwaters while trying to cross a river in Filabusi police have confirmed.
The tragedy happened late on the night of Thursday in the Mukula area of Filabusi when a Toyota Noah carrying several passengers attempted to cross the flooded Tshangamutope River.
According to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), the driver had stopped and got out of the vehicle to check how deep the water was but left the keys in the ignition.
While he was away from the car, one of the passengers reportedly took control of the vehicle and tried to drive it across the submerged bridge.
The police say the attempt ended in disaster.
“The vehicle was swept away and submerged trapping all the occupants,” the ZRP said in a statement.
Earlier today, rescue efforts were carried out with the help of local residents who assisted in retrieving the bodies from the river.
The victims included five adult women, two adult men, a female juvenile and a male toddler, police said.
So far, only two of the nine victims have been positively identified while efforts are continuing to establish the identities of the remaining seven.
All the bodies have been taken to Filabusi District Hospital mortuary for post-mortem examinations.
The tragedy comes amid heavy rains affecting large parts of the country raising the risk of flash floods and swollen rivers particularly in rural areas where bridges are often low-lying and poorly protected.
Police have urged motorists to avoid attempting to cross flooded rivers warning that even shallow-looking water can be dangerously powerful.
More details about the victims and the circumstances surrounding the incident are expected to be released in the coming days.
