The Sunday News
Valencia Ndhlovu, Sunday News Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council-effected 72-hour water shedding schedule has contributed to the loss of lives of two toddlers who recently drowned in plastic containers that were being used by their parents to store water.
Bulawayo residents are enduring a 72-hour water shedding schedule owing to the low water levels in the city’s supply dams which has resulted in the decommissioning of Umzingwane Dam.
In the first incident a nine-month-old girl from Nkulumane drowned in a big plastic dish that was besides the bed after her 36-year-old mother had left her sleeping on the bed.
After an hour she heard a suspicious noise coming from the bedroom and went to check and then found out that her daughter had drowned in the dish with water.
She tried to render first aid but failed.
The mother then rushed to the clinic where the baby was pronounced dead.
In the second incident that happened in Cowdray Park, a one-year-old girl drowned in a 20 litre water bucket when her aunt left her playing outside as she went to bath.
“The girl was left in the custody of her 25-year-old aunt who left her playing outside as she went to bath,” said the local police.
After bathing she went outside and discovered that her niece had fallen into a three quarter full 20 litre bucket and showed no sign of life.
Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele confirmed the two incidents.
“We urge members of the public not to leave open water buckets and within reach of children so as to avoid such incidents,” said Asst Insp Msebele.
