Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba, Zimpapers Writer
IT began as a quiet Sunday afternoon in Zvishavane District, the kind that lulls communities into a sense of calm. But by 4:30PM, the skies darkened ominously, and within moments, the heavens opened. What followed was an hour-long tempest of torrential rain and howling winds that tore through the heart of the district, leaving behind a trail of devastation and disbelief.
At the centre of the storm’s fury were Dadaya High School, the Dadaya National Youth Training Centre, and the surrounding villages. Roofs were ripped from buildings like paper, windows shattered under the pressure of the wind, and trees were uprooted, their branches strewn across roads and fields. The once peaceful landscape was transformed into a scene of chaos and destruction.
Zvishavane District Development Coordinator, Darlington Chokera, painted a grim picture of the aftermath.
“I can confirm that the storm left severe damage at Dadaya Training Centre, Dadaya High School and the neighbouring villages. Thirteen barracks at the training centre lost their roofs, and six homesteads in the surrounding areas were severely affected,” he said.
His words, though measured, could not mask the scale of the disaster.
For the villagers, the storm was more than a weather event — it was a terrifying ordeal. Families huddled together as the wind howled through broken windows and rainwater poured into their homes. Many lost not just shelter, but cherished belongings and essential household items. Yet, amid the wreckage, there was a glimmer of relief: no lives were lost.
At Dadaya High School, the damage was extensive. Classrooms stood exposed to the elements, their roofs peeled back like tin can lids. Inside, desks lay overturned, books soaked beyond salvage, and teaching materials reduced to pulp. The school’s headmaster, Giveus Chirume, recounted the harrowing moments as the storm struck.
“We prioritised the safety of our learners. Two classrooms lost their roofs, the deputy head’s house suffered damage to roofing sheets and several hostels had their roof and wall partially damaged,” he said.
The storm showed no mercy. The A-level boys’ hostels, along with the Form Three and Form Four dormitories, suffered significant damage, with roofing sheets and ridges torn away. The A-level girls’ hostel and other female dormitories were also hit hard, with cracked roofing sheets and a six-metre section of the pre-cast perimeter wall collapsing under the pressure of the wind.
Now, the school faces a daunting task: rebuilding. Chirume outlined the urgent needs — roofing sheets, truss timbers, asbestos ridges, and pre-cast wall panels — to restore the learning environment and ensure the safety of students and staff.
This is not the first time the area has been battered by extreme weather. In March last year, a similar storm destroyed two classroom blocks, two hostels, and an administration block, leaving over 100 learners stranded. The recurrence of such events underscores the vulnerability of the region’s infrastructure and the pressing need for long-term resilience planning.
Chokera has made an impassioned appeal for assistance. He called on government authorities and development partners to step in swiftly and help repair the damaged infrastructure.
