Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu
LEARNERS at Bengo Secondary School were left stranded after heavy rains and strong winds battered the area, damaging classrooms and school infrastructure.
The storm also wrecked teacher’s cottages at Dryhock Primary School, injuring four teachers in the process, authorities confirmed.
Acting Gwanda District Civil Protection Committee chairperson and acting District Development Coordinator, Thulani Moyo, said emergency teams have been activated to assess the full scale of the destruction.
“We have received reports on infrastructure that has been damaged by rains in the districts, including Bengo Secondary School and Dryhock Primary School. Our civil protection structures are collating information to determine how many institutions and homesteads have been affected,” Moyo said.
Parents and learners have expressed shock as they watched classrooms and homes suffer severe damage. “It was terrifying. The wind and rain just came and tore through everything,” said one concerned parent.
The civil protection office has urged communities to remain cautious as more rains are forecasted in the coming days. Teams are working round the clock to produce a detailed report on the affected areas and to offer assistance where needed.
