At least one person died after being swept away by flash floods in Chipinge while another died in Odzi on Wednesday after being struck by lightning.
Several houses and schools in Chipinge and parts of Buhera
had their roofs blown off by heavy winds and rains that have swept across parts
of Manicaland in the last 48 hours. Nyanga also recorded hailstorms on
Thursday, although no damage has yet been reported.
This has prompted the province to step up its disaster
preparedness and start pressing for everyone to build houses and schools that
meet ordinary construction standards so are not damaged by storms.
Zimbabwe is hit by storms every year, and heavy rain causes
flash floods, needing people to take precautions if they are crossing rivers.
Provincial chief meteorological officer Mr Lucas Murambi
confirmed that the department had received the reports of flash flooding in
Chipinge and hailstorms in Nyanga.
“I have not yet received a report on the damages in Nyanga.
In Chipinge, there was flash flooding in the valley (Save Valley) and I
understand the district development coordinator and civil protection committee
have gone there to carry out damage analysis,” he said.
Chipinge ward 22 councillor Ms Evelyn Mhuru said Mr George
Sithole (65) was swept away while trying to cross a flooded river following
heavy rains in the area on Thursday afternoon.
“As he tried to cross the river, he slipped and was swept
away. His body was only discovered at around midnight yesterday (Thursday)
after villagers spent the whole day searching for him,” she said.
She said the roof of classroom blocks at a local school
were blown off by heavy winds.
Manicaland Provincial Coordinator Mr Edgars Seenza, who is
the chairperson of the provincial civil protection committee, said the damage
recorded so far calls for a holistic approach to disaster management.
“Unfortunately we have already started receiving reports of
destruction. So far we have received reports from Buhera where three households
had the roofs of their huts blown off by heavy wind. The families have been
given tents to provide shelter. In Chipinge we also heard that two households
were also affected yesterday in Chidzururungwi village and they also require
assistance,” he said.
He said a team had been dispatched to carry out assessments
on the actual number of people who have been affected since there could be more
cases that have not yet been reported.
Mr Seenza said the province has come up with a contingency
plan aimed at mobilising the resources required to respond to rainfall related
disasters more effectively and efficiently.
The plan had been submitted to the Ministry of Local
Government, Public Works and National Housing. Communities had also been
sensitised on how to respond in the event of disasters to avoid loss of lives.
“The fundamental issue is that people are constructing
substandard structures prone to destruction by strong winds,” he said.
“Even some of the schools we have are not inspected by the
local authorities to make sure that they are built to standard. This is why we
are appealing to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to make sure
that buildings are inspected by local authorities and the department of public
works so that we have resilient structures that resist weather elements.”
Herald
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