Black Mamba Kills Three Family Members
Three members of a Hurungwe family succumbed to poisoning after they were struck by a venomous snake suspected to be a Black Mamba while searching for firewood.
The incident occurred in the Karuru area of Hurungwe district a fortnight ago, but the trio died between Tuesday and Wednesday this week.
The deceased have been identified as Emilia Musiiwa (nee Moyo) aged 47, her daughter Nyarai (21) and grandson Tatenda Tototo (15).
The late Emilia’s husband, Tapiwa Musiiwa told NewZimbabwe.com that the deaths dealt him a heavy blow. He said:
The incident has left me devastated.
The three were looking for firewood when the snake bit Nyarai, prompting her mother to try and scare away the creature but it also attacked her.
Sensing danger, our grandson Tatenda tried to run away but the snake pursued him and striked.
The three victims were taken to hospital for treatment, but unfortunately the boy died at Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital yesterday (Tuesday) while my wife and daughter passed on at Sally Mugabe Hospital (formerly Harare Hospital) in Harare today (Wednesday).
A local funeral parlour pledged to ferry the bodies to Karuru Ward 8, Hurungwe for burial Thursday.
Experts say when one is bitten by a black mamba, first aid should focus on maintaining vital functions, such as respiratory support. The victim should be kept still and try to limit any unnecessary movement.
