Chronicle Editor
Harare Bureau
CONSTRUCTION of more than 150 houses to accommodate Chimanimani families, whose properties were destroyed by Cyclone Idai, has been completed.
Cyclone Idai devastated Chimanimani and surrounding areas in March 2019, causing widespread destruction and displacement of hundreds of people.
In June 2020, the Government commenced the Cyclone Idai Runyararo Housing Project at West End Farm in Chimanimani to provide permanent accommodation for more than 200 families after their houses were destroyed by the storm.
Many families lost their homes and livelihoods, forcing them to live in temporary shelters or with relatives.
The Runyararo Housing Project was launched with support from the African Development Bank.
In an interview, Ministry of Local Government and Public Works communication and advocacy director Mr Gabriel Masvora said:
“Out of the 258 houses planned to be built under the Runyararo Housing Project in Chimanimani district, 159 units were completed and six dwelling units are at various stages of completion.”
The primary goal of the project is to provide permanent houses for families that were left homeless by Cyclone Idai.
Occupation of the well-built and weather-resistant houses began in 2021, with the beneficiaries also receiving a 6 000-square-metre plot.
Mr Masvora said the Government has since developed a plan to help limit the negative effects of weather-induced disasters.
“Guided by seasonal forecasts issued by the Meteorological Services Department, the Department of Civil Protection convenes multi-stakeholder multi-hazard contingency planning processes each year in preparation for hazards associated with the rainfall seasons,” he said.
“Measures that have been undertaken so far include mapping of flood and landslide-prone areas, ongoing community-based disaster risk management training, production of disaster risk management plans, prepositioning of relief materials and identification of evacuation centres by communities for pre-emptive evacuation upon issuance of alerts, among others.”
The ministry, Mr Masvora said, working with other stakeholders, also undertakes education and awareness programmes on the dangers of rainfall-related hazards, “including tropical cyclones among communities and the general population, using various channels of communication targeting prone areas and the country at large”.
Bongani Ndlovu