Rains damage Chivi houses

George Maponga
Masvingo Bureau
Heavy rains hit Chivi over the past week, damaging many homes in Gororo, Nyahombe and Vuranda areas, with three bridges needing urgent repairs.

The local Civil Protection Committee, however, has availed tents for temporary shelter and has already secured replacement food for grain stores that were washed away.

Chivi, one of the heavily affected districts by tropical storm Chalane that raced across Zimbabwe last week, has been receiving above normal rains over the past fortnight.

Reports show 12 homes were destroyed in Gororo communal lands and Nyahombe in the southern fringes of the district, with several houses badly damaged in the Vuranda area of Madamombe in Chivi North where villagers also lost food stocks after they were submerged in flood waters.

District Development Coordinator and CPU chair Mr Innocent Matingwina yesterday said affected families would start getting food rations soon.

“We have activated our disaster teams here after heavy rains destroyed houses at several homesteads and washed away food stocks. So we have engaged the Social Welfare Department to provide food relief to those who were affected,” said Mr Matingwina.

“People who were already on the Social Welfare food assistance scheme before disaster struck will get double rations.

“I am happy that we have scores of tents that we received from CPU which we intend to give to those who were left completely homeless.”

He said communities in Nyahombe and Shindi in southern Chivi had been cut-off after at least three bridges were damaged by flood waters.

“We have engaged DDF via the Minister of State and Provincial Affairs and Devolution’s offices to make sure the damaged bridges are urgently rehabilitated.”

Besides Chivi, the incessant rains have also left a trail of destruction in other low-lying districts such as Mwenezi and Chiredzi.

Government and its partners have been providing flood victims with food and shelter.