Hailstorm: Villagers counting their losses

are facing is that of food shortages after the storm destroyed some of their crops that were ready for harvest.

The storm also affected some parts of Manicaland Province.
On food, the Government is facing financial challenges and has since appealed to donors to provide humanitarian assistance to the nearly 10 000 people affected by the hailstorm.

The hailstorm also destroyed homes, schools and clinics in Mwenezi and parts of the Limpopo Valley.
Civil Protection Unit director Mr Madzudzo Pawadyira has said donors should chip in with food and safe drinking water for affected villagers.

He said the food situation was precarious in Mwenezi and Chiredzi in the wake of the hailstorm, saying there was also an urgent need to make sure the affected people had access to safe drinking water.

“We are appealing to the donor community to assist us because there is an urgent need for assistance to over 8 000 people who were affected by the hailstorm in Mwenezi, Chiredzi and parts of Mberengwa,” said Mr Pawadyira.

“We are more concerned about food because people were left without any food after their crops were destroyed.

“If nothing is done to support them immediately, we fear that some affected villagers might end up drinking unsafe water.’’

Mr Pawadyira said the Department of Social Welfare had no resources to provide food and safe drinking water to the affected families.

He said about 30 000 tonnes of imported grain had been secured by Government for the affected areas, which was not enough.

Mr Pawadyira said there was an urgent need to mobilise financial resources to reconstruct classrooms that were destroyed before schools open next week.

Learning materials were also destroyed and Mr Pawadyira said more support was required to enable the schools to get books.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and Red Cross have so far provided assistance in the form of tents, blankets and utensils such as pots and buckets to the affected people.

The health delivery system has also been compromised after 10 clinics were destroyed in the area.
The hailstorm also killed wildlife and destroyed schools in areas around the expansive Gonarezhou National Park.

Chiredzi East legislator Cde Abraham Sithole said the situation was dire across the districts.
“We appeal to Government and humanitarian organisations to quickly move into the area to avert a complete humanitarian crisis,’’ he said.

Chiredzi South MP Cde Ailess Baloyi said they were still counting the actual losses.
“The situation is bad because the hailstorm also destroyed vast tracts of sorghum and maize in the Limpopo Valley,” he said.