Cyclone Chalane, A Blessing In Disguise

By Shingirai Vambe

Manicaland – The Civil Protection Unit has engaged with other partners into a process of evacuating people in Chipinge and Chimaniman to a safer place following the announcement of another Cyclone expected to hit the country this week.

Candidates of evacuation are those lately affected by Cyclone Idai yester-year when over 250 people died, livestock, houses and various properties worth thousands of dollars were lost.

Provincial Development Coordinator, Edgar Seenza has confirmed that a total number of 118 people has already been moved to Mutambara and St Patricks for safe shelter. These people have been living in their tattered tents which were donated last year after their houses were destroyed by heavy rains last year.

Earlier this year the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Local Government and that of Peace and Security visited the area, only to find people in their miserable state without any explanation of why they haven’t been moved to the proposed areas.

Corrupt tendencies and lake of willingness by authorities in allocation of residential stands, reason best known to those in government after being told they are now getting land in Nedziwa, near Mutambara in Manicaland.

The committee failed to get answers from both the District Development Coordinator and responsible individuals to why there has been confusion and delays for people to be moved to a safer place.

Chimanimani East legislator, Joshua Sacco told Post On Sunday that rains started today with only few house blown their roofs as they experienced whirlwinds better part of the day and worried if the rains continue as anticipated to go for a week.

“People who were living in camps have been evacuated and it is most likely that food shall be needed while i urge all those in low lying areas to move to higher grounds, and or selected centers for their safety”

Sacco added there haven’t received any report of infrastructure that has been affected and if the rains continue mud slides should be expected and people should stay in doors.

Leaders and chairman who were chosen to lead through the process of the welfare of victims of cyclone idai told this publication that they want land of their own which they can develop, since government and development partners failed to afford them proper shelter.

Amongst the affected, they were few under aged school going children who lost their parents and other family members during cyclone idai, and in both camps there are child-headed families.

speaking after the announcement of the current cyclone Chalane, the chairman said the evacuation could be a blessing in disguise for them to have land to properly build their houses.

The Tropical storm is said to be coming from Beira in Mozambique, affecting Madagascar, Zimbabwe with the maximum predicted wind to be moving at speed between 45-52 knots miles per hour (MPH)