Bulawayo's Upper Ncema Dam now spilling from only 1.59 percent in November

The residents of Bulawayo and nearby areas have something to celebrate after Upper Ncema Dam started spilling late yesterday (Friday).  In the morning the dam was at 74,55 percent and rose to 99 percent in the late afternoon. The dam is now officially full and has started spilling.  The increased inflows may be a direct result of Dineo.  It was initially classified as a tropical cyclone and called “Cyclone Dineo” but has since been downgraded to a tropical depression and renamed “ex-Dineo.”  Dineo is expected to affect parts of Manicaland, Masvingo and Matebeleland South.  It has caused havoc in Mocambique, where it has killed at least 7 people and destroyed more than 20 000 homes.

What is remarkable is is that only less than three months ago the water level was so low that the dam was in a decommissioned state.  On 24 November 2016, to be exact, the dam had a level of a meagre 1.59 percent.

Here is picture of  the dam taken on 24 November 2016, when it was in a decommissioned state