POLICE in the Midlands province have warned the public to exercise caution after the province recorded 37 deaths during the 2025-26 rainy season due to drowning, lightning strikes, road accidents and collapse of mine shafts.
Last year, 17 people lost their lives compared to 37 this year, marking an increase of 117% in rain-related accidents.
Officer Commanding Midlands Police Commissioner Patson Nyabadza expressed concern while revealing the statistics during a media briefing in Gweru on Wednesday.
“As police, we are highly concerned since protection of life and property is part of our constitutional mandate,”Nyabadza said.
“There are high prospects of good harvests this year due to abundant rainfall, but sadly, we have encountered unfortunate incidents of loss of lives, property and livestock.”
He said this year, Gweru Urban district recorded zero deaths compared to one in 2025, while Kwekwe has so far recorded the highest deaths at 18 compared to three last year.
In 2026, Zvishavane recorded 12 deaths, an increase from nine last year, while Gweru Rural had five deaths from last year’s two and Gokwe district lost two lives in 2026, a similar number to 2025’s.
Nyabadza said some of the major incidents in the 2025-26 rainy season include the deaths of seven artisanal miners who were last November trapped in a shaft in Silobela at Base Mineral Block Mine.
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Five people, who attempted to cross the flooded Sebakwe River on an ox-drawn cart, were swept away.
He said some of the precautions to prevent loss of lives included avoiding crossing flooded rivers and streams.
“Those in mining should only enter mining tunnels which are properly reinforced after assessment of safety,” he said.
