Cold Spell Claims Life in Gweru

Staff Reporter.

It was a tragedy to wake up hearing and seeing a lifeless body lying down in the pavement streets of Gweru Tuesday Morning after a cold spell that shocked Zimbabweans, believed to have come all the way from South Africa.

Though having been used to the cold, the change of weather patterns has made a lot of people to relax and adjust to current weather phenomenon and the cold wind weather that started in the early hours of Monday last week, claimed the life of a homeless young man in the midlands town of Gweru.

Known for freezing temperatures during winter, even the late musician, Paul Matavire sang about the cold temperatures that are usually experienced in Gweru, some will brave it while others disappear to look for warmer places to stay until it is warm.

Not the first time to hear of such incidents, homeless people, street kids suffer from the effects of cold weather, even those with shelter we hear of them dying of pneumonia.

A Good Samaritan noticed the young little boy was not breathing around 8:30am and alerted the police. Those who saw him earlier thought he was sleeping. Upon enquiry, doctors told this publication that there are various effects of cold weather which include hypothermia which lead to shivering, confusion, dizziness, exhaustion and loss of coordination and that is life threatening.

Doctor Lincoln Nyafesa told the Post that cold weather contribute to constriction of blood vessels, diverting blood flow away from the extremities and towards vital organs to maintain core body temperature leading to high blood pressure.

Details and information of the main cause of death of this unidentified young boy are still to be established awaiting post mortem.

Some of the effects of cold weather are dry skin, increased heart rate and frostbites which usually affect fingers, toes, ears and nose.

The number of homeless people, streets and fathers has increased over the years, some for survival while others to beg and commit various crimes in various central business districts and the ministry of Public Service Labour and Social Welfare has promised to take them and provide shelter for the homeless while tracing and looking for their relatives.

Meanwhile, in a road traffic accident case, a head-on collision at Headlands, near Chendambuya Turn Off claimed 5 lives on the spot. One who survived was taken to Rusape general Hospital but he was said to be in critical condition.

Another Accident claimed 6 people at Mabvuku Turn-Off, where two Honda fit vehicles were involved in a head-on collision Monday Morning.