At least 246 people have been killed by floods in Zimbabwe since December, state media reported yesterday, as the government launched an appeal for foreign aid.  
The Herald newspaper said at least 128 people had been injured, 2,000 left homeless, 74 schools damaged and 70 dams had burst in floods across the country that followed a prolonged drought.
 “There is an inadequate supply of tents, foodstuffs and drugs for the affected people,” Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere told the paper. “There is a need for blankets and clothing for the affected families and they are at risk of contracting pneumonia and acute respiratory infections.”
 He appealed for emergency funding from international donors, private companies and the public.
“After working hard responding to the effects of drought, the same people are now suffering because of excessive floods,” Bishow Parajuli, of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), told The Herald.
 Kasukuwere said rainfall levels had been above normal in most parts of Zimbabwe in recent months. Government officials were not immediately able to comment to AFP. Among the worst affected areas were south-western districts including Tsholotsho, where at least 859 people were living in a makeshift camp after their homes were destroyed by heavy rains.
 State television on Thursday showed images of marooned villagers in Tsholotsho being rescued by airforce helicopters. The meteorological department has warned of further heavy rains, cautioning people against crossing flooded rivers and bridges. The floods came as Zimbabwe was hoping to recover from a severe drought which ravaged most of the southern African country and destroyed many food crops.
 The country now faces more food shortages following the floods and an outbreak of the fall armyworm caterpillar that devours crops, according to the agriculture ministry. A former regional bread basket, Zimbabwe has relied on imports in recent years to top up local harvests.
 Critics blame the perennial shortages on President Robert Mugabe’s controversial land reforms which saw the seizure of white-owned farms for redistribution to landless blacks, most of whom lacked the means to farm.

Move against corporal punishment for children
Zimbabwe is considering adopting legislation against corporal punishment for children following a court ruling that declared the practice unconstitutional, Health Minister David Parirenyatwa said yesterday. The High Court ruled on Wednesday that corporal punishment is unconstitutional at both school and home.
The minister said the government was analysing its response. The case dealt with a complaint by a parent whose 6-year-old child had serious bruises after being beaten by a teacher for failing to finish homework. Tendai Biti, the lawyer who represented the parent, said that President Robert Mugabe’s government should introduce heavy penalties for corporal punishment for children, which is not uncommon in the southern African country. “Unless this regime enacts a child protection act, we are going nowhere,” Biti said.
“It is unfair to assume that the government does not want to protect its citizens,” Parirenyatwa responded.
“As soon as our lawyers finish looking at the ruling, we shall be approaching the parliament if we deem it necessary to enact a new law,” he added.

Journalists held over Mugabe health report
Two Zimbabwean journalists were arrested yesterday over a newspaper report that described President Robert Mugabe as “in bad shape” when he flew to Singapore for what officials called a scheduled medical check-up. Editor of independent newspaper NewsDay Wisdom Mudzungairi and journalist Richard Chidza were released ahead of a court appearance.  The front-page story said that Mugabe, 93, had “sneaked out of the country” this week, and quoted an unnamed source saying “it’s a tricky health situation”.
 The report, headlined “Mugabe in fresh health scare”, said that first lady Grace Mugabe had flown to Dubai to organise the charter flight.
 “They have been arrested and charged with undermining and insulting the office of the president,” said their lawyer Obey Shava before their release. He said their arrest was “in relation to the paper’s lead story”.