Ray Nhongonhema
Several families in the Mangondi area under Chief Chitanga were left homeless when a thunder and hailstorm, accompanied by strong winds hit the area just before midnight on November 23.
Several government houses at Mwenezi ZRP and the nearby DA’s Camp had their roofs blown off, exposing furniture and other household goods. The environment was not spared either as several trees were uprooted or branches broken.
However when contacted for comment Masvingo Provincial Police said they were yet to receive the report.
The extent of the damage could not be ascertained by the time of writing but sources within the area reported one fatality of an infant who was hit by debris after the house they were occupying collapsed.
The infant, an Early Childhood Development (ECD) learner at Mwenezi primary school was left in the custody of her grandmother as her parents joined the great trek to South Africa in search of employment.
After the unfortunate incident, the child was rushed to nearby Mwenezi Rural District Council clinic where she was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Another effort to get a comment from the new Mwenezi District Development Coordinator (DDC) Nyaradzo Tongofa proved fruitless, as her mobile number was unreachable.
However, Masvingo Provincial Development Coordinator (PDC) Dr Jefta Sakupwanya said his office was in the process of mobilising resources to deal with such disasters though he could not shed light on the Mwenezi issue.
“We are mobilising resources towards such incidents but Mwenezi DDC is the one who can give first-hand information on the issue,” said Dr Sakupwanya.
