30 January 2022
Lindie Dube
Tropical has brought the much needed rains to the farming community of Zimbabwe but is causing untold damage in some areas.
While some crops had began to wither last year as the rains had disappeared, tropical Ana landed on the 24th of this month affecting five countries.
In its passage Tropical Ana presented with incessant heavy rainfall causing rivers to overflow, flash flooding and widespread damage to infrastructure and the environment.
In Manicaland province our sources report that over 100 homes have been destroyed rendering several families homeless.
The rains have affected several school building, about six of them, derailed road infrastructure in Manicaland province.
This brings back memories of Cyclone Isaiah which destroyed part of Chipinge, Chimanimani and Buhera in 2015 leaving several people dead in landslides and floods.
While the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) from Manicaland has warned of floding and distruction of property there has not been any casualties reported.
The Manicaland Provincial CPU chairperson, Edgar Seenza confirmed to NewZimbabwe that no deaths and injuries had been recorded despite the destruction recorded in some areas.
He said,
“We have two students at Nagari Secondary School who failed to go back home due to the flooded Fairest river. We do not have any deaths and no injuries as well.”
459 evacuation centers have been set upon in the province by the government.
He said that 14 houses had collapsed in Nyanga with four blocks at Nyafuru High School losing its roof to heavy winds. Seenza statistically appraised that 14 collapsed houses, 105 had blown off roofs as well as institutions, 2 bridges were damaged in Chipinge and Gairezi river. Seven roads were destroyed by the storm.
In Bulawayo, there has been incessant rainfall all week long with flash flooding witnessed in the surrounding rivers.
City roads have flooded as well that resulted in the City Council embarking on removing blockages all around the City’s drainage systems.
There has not been any reports of Casualties or any news of damage to property reported. Only the potholes have worsened with gullies forming in some gravel roads and in the main roads the holes have deepened as the rains pound the City of Kings and Queens.
In some parts of the country ZBC reported that,
“Five families were marooned at Marere, ward 6 near Hunyani river as rain fell overnight in Muzarabani.”
Director for local Governance in Mashonaland Central revealed that civil servants houses in the same district had been flooded.
Also it has been said that a 4 year old child in Chipfuko area, village 21, ward 7 of Hungwe North was swept away trying to cross a flooded stream. The body was found 1,5km from the crossing path.
Members of the public are advised to avoid crossing flooded rivers and swollen streams whether on foot or in a vehicle.
Experts say storms are becoming stronger and more frequent as waters warm due to climate change, with rising sea levels also making low-lying coastal areas vulnerable.
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