A series of environmental disasters in Zimbabwe have raised concern about the industry’s regulation and government’s ability to protect the environment. The disasters, including the death of 19 hippopotamuses in the Sapi Safari Area and Chirundu, along the Zambezi Valley, are believed to be a result of improper disposal of toxic chemicals, including cyanide and mercury, used in mining processes. According to experts, the rainy season has exacerbated the problem, as the chemicals are washed into water bodies through surface runoff, posing a significant threat to both wildlife and human health. Centre for Natural Resource Governance director Farai Maguwu yesterday said it was not a coincidence that the disasters happened during the rainy season. "The simple explanation is that as the rains are pounding the country, cyanide and mercury are being washed through surface runoff into the water bodies. That is why you see these animals dying," Maguwu said. He said various mining firms were operating without adhering to laws. "From our own perspective, Zimbabwe has become a huge mining country and most of the Chinese operating in Zimbabwe, don’t operate (within the confines of) any laws. They operate above the law. "They do that because they work in cahoots with the country’s political elites and so they disregard environmental laws and they even heap leach. It is poorly done when they set up those heap leaching plants," he said.