Patrick Chitumba, [email protected]
OVER 50 homesteads in the Chirumanzu-Zibagwe Constituency in Midlands province suffered damages including livestock deaths following the violent heavy rains that also left a trail of destruction in different parts of the country early this week.
Apart from destroying houses, the rains, which were accompanied by strong winds, destroyed six schools spread across the constituency.
Villagers said their roofs were blown off by the violent storm, which also uprooted trees. They said the heavy rains, which started in the late hours of Monday evening caused havoc across the Chirumanzu-Zibagwe constituency leaving over 50 families with destroyed houses and in dire need of food and clothing.
The most affected villagers are from Huchu Village 70, Village 71, Village 72, Village 74, and Block 6.
Villagers said the rains started at around 7PM before destroying schools, houses and killing goats and sheep and chicken at around 1AM. Mvuma District Development Co-ordinator (DDC) Mr Jorum Chimedza confirmed the development saying the houses, walls and roofs collapsed while villagers were sleeping.
“Six schools namely Chishuku Secondary, Nyagari Primary, Simon Muzenda Primary were destroyed in Zibagwe while in Chirumhanzu we had Nyautonge Primary, Chapwanya Primary and Gonawapotera Secondary schools affected by the violent rains.
“Then 50 families had their houses affected in varying degrees. They also lost small livestock,” he said.
Mr Chimedza said the District Civil Protection Unit was on the ground assessing the extent of damage, which befell individual families.
Mvuma town board chairperson, Councillor Ali Weje, said the affected villagers were in dire need of food and blankets.
“These villagers need food aid, they need the general basic food commodities and blankets. They also need assistance to rebuild their homes (bricks and cement),” he said.
Mrs Jeniffer Nyevera a widow from Village 7 said her three-bedroomed house was severely damaged by the violent storm.
“I am in pain at the moment because I don’t know where to begin in terms of rebuilding my house, which was destroyed by the heavy rains accompanied by strong winds on Tuesday morning,” she said.
Mrs Nyevera, who stays with her daughter in-law said at around 1AM on Tuesday, the roof of her house was blown off — exposing her family to the rains.
“We slept around 7PM when it was raining. Around 1AM we were forced to wake up because after the roof was blown off, we were now exposed to the bad weather conditions. We quickly got out of the house before the walls on one side collapsed,” she said.
Mrs Nyevera said they lost property, clothing and food, which were in the destroyed house.
“We are appealing for assistance in cash or kind because we don’t have anywhere to start. My son left me with his wife and children some months back and hasn’t returned and it’s difficult for me because we no longer have food,” she said.
Mr Amos Nyoni from Village 71 said apart from losing his bedroom hut, he was also left counting losses after his crops were destroyed.
