Bright Zhou
The rains that Masvingo Province received on October 22, 2023 left a trail of destruction in Masvingo District with ward 25 and 35 of Masvingo South recording a number of homes that were affected leaving some families homeless.
Ward 25 Councillor Tarusenga Mapamba confirmed the devastating effects of the rains saying they were calling upon relevant authorities to chip in to assist affected families.
Mapamba said they were still carrying out assessments to determine the full range of the damage and costs.
‘We are still gathering information and village heads are compiling lists of affected people and the extent of the damage. We are also calling upon different stakeholders to come to our aid with different forms of help.
At Muchibwa hospital, four roofing sheets and ridges were blown off; the nurse-in-charge’s house’s four roofing sheets and ridges were damaged and three nurses’ houses had some of the roofs damaged.
The rains wreaked havoc in Muvango village where a number of houses were destroyed to ground level leaving some families without shelter as 35 homesteads were affected including a three roomed flat from the village head’s homestead that was also destroyed to the ground.
Of the 35, 18 households in the low lying areas near Mutirikwi river, houses were damaged where both walls and roof were destroyed while 17 homes in the high ground near Renco Mine’s Atlas shaft had only roofs blown away.
In Chiponda Village, 31 households were affected where a total of 133 roof sheets were blown off and damaged.
17 households were affected in Ruchicha village where 51 sheets were blown away and 12 window panes were damaged.
47 roof sheets and nine window panes were destroyed in Takarusenga Village while other villages like Muzondo and some across Tetenu River like Mukazi recorded some damages as well.
In ward 35 (Renco Mine), the charge office had its roof carried away as well as four houses in the compound had their roofs destroyed.
Close to town the rains had some damages at Sikato Primary School and some surrounding areas. At Sikato two classroom blocks had their roofs carried away.
Several structures were demolished at a plot allegedly belonging to the late Dr Silvester Maunganidze in Sikato.
Toilet concrete slab roofs were carried off as well as school classroom blocks at Gwengavi Primary School.
