Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo
Zimpapers Reporter
About 135 small-scale farmers in Kwite East Village, Mangwe District, Matabeleland South Province, have lost their crops after violent rains destroyed fields spanning nearly 200 hectares over the weekend.
During the same weekend of destructive rainfall, a villager from Ward Four in the district lost two cows and his homestead after it was struck by lightning.
Mangwe District Development Coordinator (DDC), Ms Matilda Mlotshwa, said the sorghum crop was the most affected, with 75 hectares destroyed.
“The sorghum crop was mostly affected compared to other crops. The village now faces serious food security challenges as a result of this occurrence. We have 135 affected farmers,” said Ms Mlotshwa.
She said that, in addition to the 75 hectares of sorghum, 50 hectares of maize were destroyed, along with 35 hectares of pearl millet (inyawuthi), 12 hectares of peas, eight hectares of groundnuts, 2.5 hectares of butternuts, 1.5 hectares of melon vines (amajodo), and 1.2 hectares of watermelons (amakhabe).
In Ward Four, a villager, Mr Arthur Ncube, lost two cows and his entire homestead after being struck by lightning, leaving him homeless and in urgent need of shelter.
The Mangwe incident follows recent reports by the Department of Civil Protection Unit (CPU) indicating that 61 people have died nationwide, while more than 500 homes and property worth over US$100 000 have been destroyed since the beginning of the 2025/26 rainfall season.
According to the CPU’s latest Situation Report (Sitrep), 538 households, 33 schools, and four health institutions have been destroyed to date.
Of the 61 fatalities recorded so far, 23 were from Manicaland Province, 19 from Mashonaland West, and 12 from the Midlands Province.
On Christmas Day, a man in his 30s, Newman Ngwenya, from Nkayi District in Matabeleland North Province, was swept away while attempting to cross a flooded Gampinya Stream on a donkey-drawn scotch cart with two other people.
“The cart and the donkeys were also swept away, but the other two individuals managed to escape. The District Civil Protection Committee (DCPC), together with the Ward Civil Protection Committee (WCPC), conducted a search and rescue operation, during which Ngwenya’s body and a damaged scotch cart were recovered,” said the CPU.
The report noted that Mashonaland East recorded the highest number of damaged or destroyed homesteads at 192, followed by Mashonaland Central with 130, and Mashonaland West with 127.
Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South recorded 15 and nine destroyed homesteads, respectively.
“As the rains bring joy to most communities, there are unfortunately some tragic incidents that also accompany them,” said the CPU.
Zimbabwe traditionally experiences its peak rainfall period between December and February, with low-lying and semi-arid regions particularly prone to flash floods, dam spillages, and river overflows. Over the years, flooding has remained one of the leading causes of weather-related deaths in rural areas, often worsened by unsafe river crossings and settlements located downstream of major dams. The report noted that the Meteorological Services Department had issued warnings of widespread rains during the festive season, while the Zimbabwe National Water Authority indicated that several major dams were full or nearing capacity following above-normal rainfall across many catchment areas.
As of 31 December, Manyuchi, Zhovhe, and Silalabuhwa dams were 100 percent full, while Tugwi Mukosi Dam was at 99,8 percent capacity.
Authorities warned that continued rainfall had resulted in dam spillages and breaches in some districts, posing serious risks to communities living downstream.
“Communities living downstream of dams are advised to remain vigilant and to cooperate with civil protection structures in order to prevent further loss of life,” reads the report.
