Source: The Herald – Breaking news.
Advocate Misheck Mugadza 
Ray Bande and Luthando Mapepa
Herald Reporters
A DAM breach at Bandama farm (formerly Canterbury farm) in Chipinge has resulted in the release of large quantities of water downstream, killing four people including a four-year-old girl.
Three people are also missing following the incident which occurred on Sunday at the property owned by the late national hero and former Commander of 3 Infantry Brigade in Mutare, Brigadier General Eliah Bandama.
Livestock has also been killed while irrigation facilities have been destroyed.
A dam breach is the collapse or movement of part of a dam or its foundation, such that the dam cannot retain water and in general, the breach results in a release of large quantities of water, posing a risk to people or property downstream.
Speaking from the site of the incident, Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution Advocate Misheck Mugadza, who visited the area yesterday to assess the damage and console bereaved families, said search teams are on the ground looking for the missing persons.
“I am on the ground and I can confirm that four people have died. Three are still missing. The search continues and we hope that we will be able to find the missing persons soon,” said Adv Mugadza.
Civil Protection Unit chairman for Manicaland province, Mr John Misi, said among the deceased is a minor who was in the company of her mother who was doing laundry downstream and a man who was fishing.
He said the other two people were swept away by raging waters downstream.
“The dam breach occurred at Bandama Farm, formerly known as Canterbury Farm. Although we are waiting for finer details, we are told that there was a female adult who was washing clothes downstream in the company of her two children and one of them — four years old — was swept away and the body was later retrieved.
“The other child who was with her mother, a 15-year-old, was swept away and was left marooned on a piece of land. The teen was later rescued.
“The other person who died was a 30-year-old man who was on a fishing expedition. It happened at a farm that is owned by the late national hero Brigadier Bandama’s family. The other two deceased were swept downstream,” said Mr Misi.
In a separate interview, Chipinge District Development Co-ordinator Mr William Mashava said a search is currently underway for the bodies of missing people, adding that some macadamia farmers were left counting losses after their pump houses, which were close to the river in Ward 7 and 10 of the district, were swept away.
“Several pumps houses in Ward 7 and 10, which were installed close to the river, were destroyed due to flooding,” said Mr Mashava.
Ward 10 Councillor Piason Sithole said the community, together with various stakeholders is on the ground assisting in the search for the missing persons.
He added that some villagers also lost their livestock.
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