ZAMBIA/ZIMBABWE: Rain-hit southern Africa further pressured as flood gates opened at major dam on Zambia-Zimbabwe border

Record ID: 699640

  • Title: ZAMBIA/ZIMBABWE: Rain-hit southern Africa further pressured as flood gates opened at major dam on Zambia-Zimbabwe border
  • Date: 25th January 2011
  • Summary: CLEMENT MUKOSA, DIRECTOR, WATER RESOURCES, ZAMBEZI RIVER AUTHOURITY WATCHING WATER WITH CROWD ON BRIDGE MORE OF WATER IN DAM (SOUNDBITE) (English) CLEMENT MUKOSA, DIRECTOR, WATER RESOURCES, ZAMBEZI RIVER AUTHORITY SAYING: "At the moment we have about approximately 3000 cubic metres per second going downstream. How long will depend on how the rainfall will come on the lower catchment, of the lower catchment downstream the Victoria Falls and the amounts of water coming from the headwaters of the Zambezi river, which is from the source to here. We will be monitoring and the rainfall will tell us on how this is going to continue." VIEW OF ZIMBABWE EXIT FROM DAM BRIDGE FROM ABOVE ZIMBABWE EXIT MORE OF PEOPLE ON THE BRIDGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) GEORGE DUBE, RESIDENT FROM ZIMBABWE SIDE OF THE KARIBA GATES SAYING: "Some people will have to be affected but for the bridge benefits, the dam benefits us more in terms of electricity and everything but I hear they were being ably warned. I don't know if the warning was done in a timely manner or whatever but I think if they were warned they can, maybe they should get out of the way." ZAMBIA SIDE OF THE DAM
  • Embargoed: 9th February 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Zimbabwe, Zambia
  • City:
  • Country: Zimbabwe Zambia
  • Topics: Weather
  • Reuters ID: LVA4CVL0TMDBQDU2G6DWFEUI8GNV
  • Story Text: Zambia and Zimbabwe open the flood gates of the massive Kariba Dam as floodwaters caused by heavy regional rains raise levels in the dam. The flooding downstream is expected to impact on people living close to the river, further pressurising a region that has seen 100 killed by floods in South Africa alone.
    With localised flooding continuing to cause deaths across southern Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia opened the gates of the massive Kariba dam at the weekend, to counter rapidly-rising water levels.
    Two of the six spillway gates at the dam were opened on Saturday (January 22) to release some 3,000 cubic metres of water per second, downstream.
    Zambezi River Authority said the opening of the dam was necessary to relieve pressure from high water levels, despite the risk that it would increase the chances of flooding further downstream.
    "At the moment we have about approximately 3000 cubic metres per second going downstream. How long will depend on how the rainfall will come on the lower catchment, of the lower catchment downstream the Victoria Falls and the amounts of water coming from the head waters of the Zambezi river which is from the source to here. We will be monitoring and the rainfall will tell us on how this is going to continue," said Clement Mukosa, Director, Water Resources, Zambezi River Authority.
    Tourists who watched the opening of the gates said it was important for the Zambezi River Authority to protect the dam's infrastructure.
    "Some people will have to be affected but for the bridge benefits, the dam benefits us more in terms of electricity and everything but I hear they were being ably warned. I don't know if the warning was done in a timely manner or whatever but I think if they were warned they can, maybe they should get out of the way," said George Dube, a resident of Zimbabwe.
    The dam stretches across the Zimbabwean and Zambian border and residents from both sides came to see the gates open.
    "This is nature, there is nothing you can just to take precaution. Sometimes they are warned that we will open the gates so they have to be aware of that," Matildah Chanda, a teacher from the Zambian side said.
    Flooding on the lower reaches of the Zambezi river will impact on Mozambique, where 13,000 people have already seen their homes lost or damaged due to high waters.
    The death from flooding has already reached 100 in South Africa and countries including Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana and Namibia are braced for more heavy rainfall in the next few days In 2009, heavy rains in Zambia and Malawi caused flooding in Mozambique that killed scores of people and left 285,000 homeless.
    Localised flooding in South Africa also swept away roads, bridges and government buildings, prompting the government to mobilize the army to assist aid agencies to address the crisis.
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