By Angelah Nothando Mlotshwa
An elderly man is reported to have been swept away by a river called Mlenje while infrastructure across Gwanda District was damaged on Thursday as heavy rains that the Meteorological Services Department had warned about fell across many of the country’s provinces.
“Matshiya Primary 2 block, roofs blown off. About 8 classrooms affected. Brussels and asbestos broken . The entire classroom set up has been affected. In Mawaza an elderly men is reported to have been swept away by the river (Mlenje), communities spent the entire day searching, eventually finding the body about 2.5 km down stream. In Kafusi a high school laboratory has been stricken by lightening”, reads the statement by Thulani Moyo the District Development Coordinator for Gwanda.
“Ward 7 community: A number of homes are reported to have been distroyed by the storm. Assessments will be done tomorrow morning by DCPC.All this on the 04.01.23.”, added Moyo.
Gwanda District is located in the Matebeleland South of Zimbabwe where the Meteorological Services Department also warned the populace of heavy floods.
“In Matshiya Village classroom blocks and roof has been blown away, eighty homesteads houses are partly destroyed. The disaster have been reported to the District civil protection unit and we have activated warning systems to the likely affected areas / vulnerable groups”, said Gwanda Ward 1 Councillor Stanford Nkala.
“In Matshiya no injuries or deaths have been reported so far. We are mobilising resources to assist the affected area as we are still waiting for the response from the Government because we forwarded the information to the relevant authorities”, added Nkala.