Residents in the Iron Duke area of Mazowe are still struggling to come to terms with last Sunday’s events when a dam burst, causing the loss of a reported five lives.

It was a repeat of the year 1995 when Candy Dam burst again last Sunday according to Ward 18 Councillor Canaan Moyo who rushed to the area due to danger warnings he received at 7:30 am.

“I was in Glendale and got a message from my farm that you cannot cross the bridge, water is rising across it. That was around 7: 30. I came and realised the situation was similar to 1995.

“I had to evacuate people who were there at the river banks telling them in about 30 to 45 minutes the dam can burst because the sound that I could hear was similar to 95/96 when the dam burst so those who listened left,” said Councillor Canaan Moyo.

“I am father to Godknows Mudavanhu a 21-year-old who was swept away. The dam at Advocate’s (Martin Dinha) farm burst and came to fill Iron Duke Dam and led to an overflow and filled the river which in turn filled the bridge.

“My son and his friend Evidence were taking pictures when disaster struck. They did not have a chance to run for their lives neither did the community have a chance to rescue them,” said Davis Chaitezvi.

One of the young men, 22-year-old Evidence Chipadze and Cecilia Philip who was in her late 30s are yet to be found, while two other unknown people suspected to be artisanal miners are reportedly missing.

-State Media