Chronicle Editor
For the larger part of the past three months, most of the country was dry, getting the people concerned that the farming season would fail.
The dryland crop was beginning to suffer moisture stress, while in worse circumstances farmers had not even planted anything due to little to no rain. Elephants and large stock, especially cattle, were dying in hundreds in Matabeleland due to thirst as water pans dried up amid the prolonged early season drought, which aligned with a forecast issued by meteorologists in August.
However, a day or two before Christmas Day, the rains started falling almost countrywide.
The rains have been decent so far but unfortunately there is a danger that they could get much heavier to cause flooding in low-lying areas — the Zambezi and Save valleys in Mashonaland Central and Manicaland provinces as well as parts of Tsholotsho District in Matabeleland North. We have previously had challenges of that nature in Beitbridge and Chiredzi South.
In Bulawayo, parts of Nkulumane, Nketa and Cowdray Park suburbs sometimes get flooded.
“The much-anticipated cloud band has fallen into Zimbabwe and this morning the western half of the country recorded some significant falls,” said the Meteorological Services Department on Tuesday.
“The highest measured amounts of rainfall were at; Bulawayo Goetz Observatory 31mm, Binga 21mm, Lupane 15mm, Victoria Falls 14mm, Kariba 13mm and Joshua Nkomo International Airport 10mm. Meanwhile, the cloud band is sweeping across the country from the west to the east. The western parts of the country should be affected first then by December 30 the whole country should have been affected. Localised heavy downpours with rainfall above 50mm in 24 hours are anticipated in some places with strong winds, lightning and hailstorms. All areas are expected to receive localised rainfall amounts of 50mm or more in 24 hours and flooding is probable in low-lying areas such as the Muzarabani, Save, and Zambezi valleys.”
In response, the Civil Protection Unit has reactivated its preparedness against the possibility of weather-related destruction. It has been sending the messages to the local traditional, community and political leadership to get the word down to the people that the rains we had been crying for could have come but could do so with some destructive force.
It is good that experts warned the nation well ahead of time.
The public are reminded to be more careful over the next few days. They must not cross flooded rivers. They must not play or take too much time in streams or rivers even if they aren’t in flood. We send this warning out because excessive rains upstream can result in walls of water suddenly tearing down what was a dry riverbed a minute ago, leading to injuries and possible loss of life.
During thunderstorms, we must not be outdoors, under trees, on hilltops or in open spaces as we expose ourselves to lightning bolts. We are far much safer indoors. But while we are indoors, we must keep away from water taps. We must be out of tubs.
We must keep away from electrical appliances, in fact, we are safer if we switch off and unplug them. We can always bath, watch television or cook after the storm.
Online Reporter