St Augustine’s High School in Penhalonga was last week hit
by a hailstorm which resulted in extensive damage to property, while some
students sustained injuries.
The school has since appealed for assistance to
rehabilitate buildings that were affected. The school is also appealing for
stationery. The damage, most of it infrastructural, is estimated to be roughly
$2 million.
St Augustine’s High
School head Reverend Sidney Chirombe said the injured students had been treated
at Mutare Provincial Hospital and discharged.
“The worst could have happened. We thank God. It started
off like normal rains.
“It was around 6pm, then it stopped for a while. It resumed
at around 7pm, with gentle winds that soon grew to whirlwind-type fury.
“With bouts of heavy wind and rains accompanied by
hailstones, a mini cyclone was evident.
“Old asbestos sheets and roofs collapsed. There was chaos
for most of the night around the eye of activity.
“The girls’ hostels and dormitories and most of the
teachers’ houses were untouched,” he said.
He said two staff houses were destroyed and one ancillary
staff member lost 25 chickens which were ready for the market.
Rev Chirombe said the school had to move Forms 2, 3 and 4
boys in three dormitories to other dormitories for the night.
He also appealed to parents with children at the school not
to panic. “Yes, the hailstorm disturbed the school.
“We need urgent repairs and replacement of the boys’
stationery and other items like linen and blankets that were destroyed.
“This is examination time. We must focus on exams, and
nothing else,” said Rev Chirombe.
The bishop of the Anglican Diocese-Manicaland, Bishop Erick
Ruwona, and a team from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education have
since visited the school to ascertain the damage caused by the hailstorm.
Herald
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