Zimbabwe declares State of Disaster after Lake Kariba boat capsizing

Zimbabwe has declared a State of Disaster after a boat capsized on Lake Kariba. The Rural Infrastructure Development Agency vessel was travelling from Kariba to Chalala when it was hit by strong waves near Long Island, according to SABC News. The boat had 119 people on board, including 114 passengers and five crew members, although an unconfirmed number of children may also have been present.

At least 15 people have died and 27 remain missing, while 77 passengers have been rescued, some of whom reached a small island on the lake before being transported back to the mainland by rescue boats. The Zimbabwe Civil Protection Unit confirmed that registered ticket sales showed 114 adults and five crew members were on board, although police initially stated that there were 90 passengers and five crew members.

Rescue operations are ongoing, with an underwater search and rescue team deployed to the lake and a helicopter hovering overhead. The State of Disaster declaration allows the government to mobilise additional resources for the search, rescue, recovery, and humanitarian response.

Brief written by urgent.news from SABC News, GBC Ghana, MyJoyOnline Ghana — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.