Filabusi: Nine people drowned on Thursday after floodwater swept away their vehicle in Zimbabwe's Matabeleland South Province, police said Friday. The ill-fated Toyota Noah was carried away while attempting to cross the Tshangamutope River in the Mukula area of Filabusi, the police said in a statement posted on social media.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the victims were seven adults and two children. Police added that the bodies were recovered on Friday with the assistance of the local community, and identification efforts are ongoing.

Persistent rains have battered large parts of Zimbabwe in recent months, leaving more than 70 people dead and causing extensive damage to road infrastructure.