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While Cyclone Freddy last week and over the weekend lost some of its power when it crossed Mozambique, and then lost more as it moved across Zimbabwe, it was still a very powerful storm and dumped a lot of rain and several areas experienced strong winds.
Rivers came up in flood over a swathe of Zimbabwe, and there was flash flooding in some areas. But Zimbabweans largely coped, and coped well.
One person was killed, in a freak accident when a tree fell in just the right direction to crush a person taking shelter, and there was some damage in a small number of schools, some houses were damaged, and a bridge collapsed. But people were safe.
Minister of Local Government and Public Works July Moyo, whose ministry contains the Department of Civil Protection and the district development co-ordinators, who assume the lead position in each district during any potential disaster, was justifiably pleased at how well our new levels of disaster preparedness worked in a major test.
As the Department of Meteorological Services, now better equipped to track cyclones and storms, issued its prompt warnings of the potential path and even more important the possible changes in direction, the whole Government machinery went on alert and into action, and the fact that Freddy was just bad, rather than very bad, was a bonus, not a matter of survival.
The emergency response has been prompt.
Essential supplies were already stockpiled in districts, and now more emergency help is on its way, starting with tents as temporary classrooms at the few schools that saw classrooms damaged, and the use of helicopters to get emergency food and supplies into some cut off regions of Gokwe North.
What appears to have really worked was the emergency warning system, where community leadership from village head upwards, plus the radio services and other media, which now include those new community radio stations in some of the affected districts, were able to get the warnings through to every household.
So although there was flooding, swift running rivers, and in some places high winds as well, no one was swept away and no one was taking chances. People stayed in good shelter or moved to good shelter in time.
One point needs to be noted, that the growing number of better houses counted in the census last year certainly helps provide good shelter, and presumably people tend to build better houses away from wetlands and other areas open to flooding.
The decision to keep all schoolchildren at home on Friday last week, with the weekend seeing schools closed anyway, must have minimised risks.
When the odd school lost a roof there was no one in the classroom underneath, so the damage is just physical, which can be repaired, rather than in human lives, which cannot be replaced.
It is also interesting to note that the lower intensity of the storm has not caused a “cry wolf” reaction. People are pleased Freddy was not as bad as it could have been, but are also pleased that they were warned and they intend to follow the advice when the next cyclone approaches, again hoping it will not be that bad, but still ready not to take chances.
There were a small number of schools that suffered some damage, usually when roof sheets or roofs were blown off. But we need to note that a far larger number came though unscathed.
This suggests that the recommended annual check of roofing, that is someone climbing up before the rainy season, needs to be a standard procedure, to make sure sheets are nailed down properly, nails have not worked loose and rust and other damage is fixed before the heavens open.
Another point that must have made a difference is the upgrading of our road network, from major highways down to gravel rural roads, over the last couple of years.
A decent and well-maintained road does not suffer much damage in a major storm. Other infrastructure that has been upgraded and repaired must also have come through in decent condition, showing that sound structures can survive serious weather.
Now we need to fix the moderate damage, but still damage and moderate only on average, with some buildings needing far more extensive repairs.
Minister Moyo has noted that local authorities can move swiftly to repair damage using devolution funds, which they already have and which his ministry is obviously willing for them to spend, while the damage budget is put together for this longer-term relief.
Immediate relief obviously comes quickly, that is temporary shelter, food for those who saw granaries wash away and other basic needs.
Repair work comes later, but now not much later.
At the same time the minister is keen for everyone to chip in to help those who are in need, either immediately or where when some rebuilding is necessary.
Businesses looking for something to do to help their community can ask around and see if there are urgent and repair needs where they can do something useful and make the community ties stronger.
There is general agreement that tropical cyclone will become more prevalent, frequent and powerful with global warming. They get their energy from the heat of the sea, and as the sea warms there will be more energy for them to carry.
So having an efficient and effective way of combating the damage, warning everyone and being innovative in life-saving measures, such as the school closure on the “cyclone day”, even if all areas are not hit, need to be maintained.
Online Reporter