Online Reporter
ZIMBABWE has learned the hard way that we must be prepared for all weather events every rainy season, as while we can foretell general trends, the forecasts for specific events such as a likely flood or cyclone cannot give much more than a few hours warning.
So we know from historical records and looking at the general forecast for the coming season that around six cyclones are likely to hit Sadc member states, which include most of the Indian Ocean African islands, but that statistical prediction does not tell us when, where or the intensity of the cyclones, only that we need to be able to handle the shock of half a dozen, with uncertainty possibly adding to that number.
While there were ad hoc disaster responses, generally using assets and equipment available on the day, it took the appalling disaster in March 2019 of Cyclone Idai, the worst cyclone to hit the Sadc area for decades, to move the disaster preparedness up the ladder by whole orders of magnitude.
More than 1 500 people were killed in Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique by that cyclone, and along with the recovery efforts was the determination that “never again”. Next time we would be ready, long in advance, and be able to move swiftly to minimise or eliminate loss of life, and at least try to bring property losses down, although the lives were vastly more important.
The Civil Protection Unit was significantly upgraded, and made the lead agency when we had to mobilise resources across a range of departments. The small core of full-time planners would be joined by large numbers of others in an emergency, so we did not have huge numbers sitting around doing nothing most of the time. But all those extra staff, as they moved out of their offices into the field, would know what they were doing and be able to do it, as the planning and training had been done in advance.
Since Idai, there have been other cyclones, and some of these were powerful. But each time the system was activated, warnings were sent out, community leaders were able to use local phone and radio networks to ensure the set-aside extra shelter, usually schools, were opened and that people who needed help were helped. Emergency supplies were moved in and rescue helicopters and vehicles put on alert.
In some cases, the emergency diminished early, but the prepared positions were still activated, just in case, since no one wanted a single death. And in any case it was good practice allowing the CPU to continue polishing the plans and making sure that the additional emergency staff were properly trained and ready.
Other aspects of the rainy season and expected summer storms were studied and plans made, that could be implemented promptly so that emergency services were ready to move without having everyone trying to work out what to do. Instead, the plans were there along with a policy that it was better to move swiftly if there was a reasonable expectation of danger, rather than wait until everything was confirmed and the first deaths started appearing.
At the same time, more was being done to keep people out of danger in the first place. There were several areas where almost every year flat plains were flooded and people who had built houses there were washed out, losing everything. Instead people were helped to work out where building could be done nearby and the danger eliminated.
Several agencies, including those responsible for road safety as well as local government, were mobilised to educate the public that walking or driving across a low-level bridge with a river flowing over it was a bad idea. The water might look shallow but the force of the current was easily enough to sweep away even heavy vehicles, like trucks or buses.
Losses fell as people came to understand the dangers and far fewer people took risks although continuous pressure was needed to make sure everyone realised the risks.
Work has already been done to design and build decent pedestrian bridges to fill the wide gaps between better road bridges, so that communities are not split in half by a few storms but can continue operating in safety. More probably needs to be done here as we still see pedestrians, including school children, taking unnecessary risks. This would be part of the prevention agenda.
Climate change has hit Zimbabwe by making many weather events more extreme. Heat waves are worse; more rain falls in heavy storms with the power and erosion rather than being spread out over several days; hail and down gusts are more frequent, meaning that everyone and every institution needs to examine their roof every year and keep it in good repair. We even need to start modifying roof designs so that they are not lined up with prevailing winds.
The CPU must be always ready to move swiftly to deal with sudden climate emergencies, mobilising the other Government departments it can call on and which it must make sure are trained and equipped, and making sure all communities have their communications and early warning systems in place and can cope while the big stuff is moved in.
But we all need to be ready to deal with emergencies, and to understand the sort of orders we might receive from CPU experts, and be ready to take the preliminary avoiding action so that when something severe happens, our buildings are secure, our trees are not going to tumble over and wipe out lives and property, and that drainage and other infrastructure, some of which can be quite simple, is cleared and properly working.
We do not have to sit back. As we have shown in so many other ways, Zimbabweans given reasonable leadership and shown how things work, are quite ready and able to do a lot themselves, while still expecting full support from the Government.
We can have it both ways and disaster preparedness is one of those areas where we want it both ways, our individual and community efforts backed by the State.
