25 January 2022
Lindie Dube
The Government is said to have activated emergency response mechanisms countrywide after the Meteorological Services Department (MSD) issued an alert for heavy rains and strong winds in parts of Manicaland, Mashonaland East and Mashonaland West.
This is after the Tropical storm Ana made a landfall in Mozambique’s Nampula province come through the Mozambique Channel.
The storm is reported to have killed at least three people in Mozambique and Malawi.
With it, Tropical Storm Ana brought heavy rains and strong winds beginning Monday.
The storm is expected to cause heavy rains of more than 50mm in areas around Manicaland and Mashonalanf East provinces.
The Civil Protection Units have activated special precautionary measures but as of tonight, no casualties have been reported.
As such there has not been any news of evacuations in the low lying areas, but evacuations can be promptly instituted.
Heavy rainfall can lead to number of challenges such as flooding, which is a risk to human life livestock and wildlife, there would be damage to buildings and infrastructure, and loss of crops.
In mountainous areas landslides would take place which could disrupt transport and communications. Landslides are prone to causing damage to buildings and infrastructure as well.
A tropical storm is a tropical cyclone that has maximum sustained surface winds ranging from 70 km per hour up to 100 km per hour.
The alert issued by MSD follows an overload depression crossing from Madagascar, entering into Mozambique with heavy rainfall.
Mozambique together with Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia are threatened by flooding rains this week.
In an interview with the Herald MSD’s Mr James Ngoma warned of heavy rains but allayed fears of floods.
“Heavy rains are expected in Manicaland, Mashonaland East and parts of Mashonaland West, these areas will receive an estimated 30mm,” he said.
The alert issued by MSD yesterday warned of heavy rains anticipated up to Thursday occasioned by the tropical depression on the Mozambican channel.
The MSD said that there would be isolated thunderstorms in Matebeleland North, Midlands and Mashonaland Weat whilst all other provinces will have rain and or drizzle.
Bulawayo has already received the highest rainfall of (20mm) with Karoi receiving 14mm.
People are being urged to secure all loose items including roof tops, stay indoors during thunderstorms and heavy rains.
The public is advised to stay away from the swollen rivers and not to drive through floodwaters as just 30cm of flowing water is enough to sweep away a vehicle.
Zim GBC News
Classified Ads
For:
Bookeping services, Accounting services
- ZIMRA TAX clearance
-ZIMRA Audits
Payroll services,
Human resources,
Labour issues
Contact GBC Accounting on +263 718 879 398_