Elinciya Witman
Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company ZETDC has issued a warning statement on the 20th of January 2025 to the public to prioritize safety following heavy rains predicted by the Meteorological Services Department (MSD).
In its statement, ZETDC urges the public to treat every fallen or low-hanging power line as live, especially in wet conditions where water can conduct electricity and make any contact potentially fatal.
“Treat all fallen or low-hanging power lines as live. If you see any, stay away. Never attempt to move or touch them. Water on the ground conducts electricity; approaching a line in wet conditions can be fatal.”
The utility asks the public to report any fallen poles, sparking wire, or substations affected by flooding to its 24-hour contact centre on 704 or to the nearest customer service centre, stressing that quick reporting helps prevent accidents and speeds up repairs.
“Report any fallen poles, sparking wires, or substations affected by flooding to our 24-hour contact centre on 704 or your nearest Customer Service Centre.”
Inside homes, people are reminded not to touch electrical appliances, switches, or sockets with wet hands or while standing on a wet floor, and, if a house begins to flood, to switch off the main electricity supply only if it is safe to reach the breaker.
To protect electronic devices from lightning induced power surges, ZETDC advises unplugging all non-essential gadgets during storms.
“Unplug all non-essential electronic gadgets during storms to protect them from power surges caused by lightning,” the statement reads.
The company also cautions that restoration of power may take longer than usual because technical teams must follow strict safety protocols, including suspending work on overhead lines while storms are active.
“During heavy rains, restoration of faults may take longer than usual as our technical teams must follow safety protocols, which include suspending work on overhead lines during active storms.”
ZETDC reaffirms its commitment to safeguarding lives and maintaining electricity supply during the period of heightened weather-related risk, and it calls on every citizen to prioritise safety and cooperate with its crews as they work to keep the grid stable.
