Six women from Mberengwa District in the Midlands Province were safely rescued after spending a night stranded on an island in the Mwenezi River following a sudden rise in water levels.
The women, who are from the Machingwe area in Ward 28 under Chief Chingoma, had gone fishing on Saturday when rapidly increasing river levels cut off their route back to the mainland, leaving them marooned by around 7pm.
Mberengwa District Development Co-ordinator, Mr Vafios Hlabati, confirmed the incident, saying the women remained trapped on the island overnight before being rescued on Sunday afternoon.
“I can confirm that on Saturday, January 18, six women from Ward 28 in Mberengwa District were marooned in Mwenezi River while fishing and spent the entire night on the island,” said Mr Hlabati.
He said his office was alerted early on Sunday morning, prompting the immediate activation of the District Civil Protection Unit.
“I received the report around 8am on Sunday, and we quickly deployed our Civil Protection Unit, including the sub-aqua team, to assess the situation. Due to the high water levels, we requested assistance from the Air Force of Zimbabwe to carry out the rescue,” he said.
The women were later airlifted to safety by an Air Force of Zimbabwe helicopter, bringing their ordeal to an end.
Mr Hlabati expressed relief that the rescue operation was successful, saying all six women were unharmed and reunited with their families.
“I am pleased to report that all six women were rescued without any injuries. I want to commend the Government under the leadership of President Mnangagwa, the Member of Parliament for Mberengwa Central, Cde Tinashe Goga Shumba, and our security teams for their swift and coordinated response,” he said.
Members of the local community also praised the Air Force of Zimbabwe for the life-saving mission, noting that the women had gone fishing to support their families.
“These women are pillars of their households, doing everything possible to provide food. We are grateful they were rescued safely,” said Mr Ngoni Sibanda of Mberengwa Centre.
Mr Hlabati added that the women were advised to undergo medical check-ups, with the costs covered by Cde Shumba, who also provided each of them with US$100 for immediate assistance.
Cde Shumba thanked President Mnangagwa and the Government for the rapid intervention and urged communities to take weather warnings seriously during the rainy season.
“We appeal to villagers, especially schoolchildren and those living near rivers, to avoid crossing flooded rivers and to always follow weather advisories issued by authorities,” he said.
