Thunderstorms And High Winds Ravage Schools And Houses Across Zimbabwe
Isolated thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds have caused damage in various parts of the country this month.
While precipitation has generally been light, Kwekwe recorded 15mm and Nyanga reported 44mm of rainfall.
In a statement, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works said the thunderstorms have affected several schools across the country.
At Chirumba Secondary School in Bikita District (Masvingo), strong winds caused a fallen tree to damage the roofs of Blair toilets and teachers’ houses on Thursday, but no casualties were reported.
Heavy rains and strong winds at Mataga Growth Point in Mberengwa District led to the roofs being blown off the classroom blocks at Chamakudo and Remiti Primary Schools, affecting nearby homesteads as well.
In Mashonaland East, a strong wind on Wednesday blew off the roof of a computer laboratory block at Kagande Secondary School in Mutoko District.
The following day, a violent storm in Hwedza District damaged classroom blocks at Joseph Munzverengi Secondary School by blowing off the roof.
In Matabeleland South, heavy rains and strong winds in Matobo District (Ward 23) damaged six homesteads, with four suffering severe damage.
A storm in Ward 7 of Beitbridge District destroyed solar panels and crops valued at approximately R100,000 at an irrigation scheme in Luwade Village, Beitbridge West Constituency.
Recently, James Ngoma, the head of forecasting at the Meteorological Services Department, said that the department anticipates rainfall levels returning to near-normal as the El Niño phenomenon begins to fade. He said:
Earlier this year, we experienced El Niño conditions, but we are now transitioning into a neutral phase, which should bring us closer to typical rainfall patterns.
We expect to see more normal to above-normal rains as we progress into the sub-seasons of the main season.
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