adminWalter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
TORRENTIAL rains have left hundreds of Chiredzi Town residents homeless after destroying houses and property worth thousands of dollars. Chiredzi district received 59mm of rain on Sunday, the highest throughout the country.
The heavy rains that were accompanied by strong winds uprooted trees and drenched property inside most business premises over the weekend.
Chiredzi Town Secretary Charles Muchatukwa yesterday confirmed the rains left a trail of destruction.
He told Chronicle that many residential properties and business premises were destroyed by the heavy rains.
Muchatukwa said a majority of businesses were closed yesterday as workers were busy mopping water which found its way inside following the destruction of roofs while others were repairing buildings.
The town secretary said the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) was assessing the damage.
“I confirm that there were heavy rains that lashed the whole of Chiredzi Town since Thursday and over the weekend, leaving a trail of destruction to houses and merchandise for businesspeople,” said Muchatukwa.
“Most houses in Hippo Valley and Tshovani Township were destroyed. However, it is in Tshovani along Chademana Road where the damage is most severe. The CPU is on the ground as we speak to assess the damage and I think they will come up with the cost.”
Muchatukwa said town Council will provide the affected residents with assistance but appealed to other organisations to also assist.
“As custodians of the town, we will try what we can to assist the affected residents. I am aware that some residents have been left homeless especially, those who had roofs to their houses damaged by falling trees. I am appealing to partner organisations to assist in this tragedy as they always do in such circumstances,” he said.
He said affected residents might be in need of tents as a contingency measure to protect their property from further damage.
Last month, about 200 families in Bikita and Chiredzi rural were left homeless after a hailstorm accompanied by strong winds hit their homesteads.
Masvingo provincial CPU chairperson, who is also provincial administrator, Felix Chikovo said he is yet to receive a report about the incident.
“I have not yet received the report to that effect but there are our CPU members on the ground. I think they have better information of what happened. It is possible because the district has reportedly received heavy rains since Thursday last week,” said Chikovo.
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