Zimbabwe Tropical Depression Ana Traps Students

29 JANUARY 2022

The Herald (Harare)

By Phyllis Kachere

Forty-four Ordinary level students at Nyafaru High School in Nyanga were trapped at the school after roads and a nearby bridge were washed away following the heavy rains that accompanied Tropical Depression Ana last week.

The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society Manicaland provincial manager Mr Munyaradzi Chikukwa said more than 300 families in Nyanga and Mutasa districts are in need of shelter and food after their houses collapsed following the Tropical Depression Ana-induced heavy downpours.

"We used chain saws and logs to try and make way for the children to pass, while the school authorities also had teams clearing the roads for the safe passage of their students," said Mr Chikukwa.

In Mutigwa Village in Ward 27, Nyanga,

63-year-old Mr Micah Chiodza and his two wives and children escaped death by a whisker when the outer wall of one of their bedrooms collapsed after a heavy lashing by Tropical Depression Ana downpour.

"We were sleeping in the other bedrooms when, at around 2am we heard a heavy thud of the collapsing wall.

"Fortunately, no one was sleeping in that bedroom. Otherwise, it would have been a disaster," said Mr Chiodza.

His first wife, Beauty Shayamano said the room had some foodstuffs and other household goods.

"We were lucky that we did not have any injuries or death. We thank God for that," she said.

But 23-year-old mother of three Edeline Machesa was not so lucky when the room she and her children were sleeping in collapsed while they were sleeping at around 3am on January 25.

"I was hit by the bricks, and my back, neck and left side were injured. I am still feeling the pain although the church elders prayed for me," said Machesa, who is a member of the Johanne Marange Apostalic sect.

The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society secretary general Mr Elias Hwenga said the most critical areas were wards 18, 19 and 26 in Mutasa.

"The Red Cross has made some interventions through the donation of tents, mosquito nets, masks and jerry cans. We are also organising food stuffs for the eight most affected families," said Mr Hwenga.

Mr Chikukwa said other than individual houses, Tropical Depression Ana also damaged institutions and roads.

"In Mutasa, Bonda High School had a staff house's roof blown off while houses at Sheba Primary School, Mandeya 2 School, Chida Zembe School, St Peter's Mandeya School were destroyed.

"Nyanga Police Station in Nyanga District also suffered damage to houses. Some roads have become impassable with some bridges washed away," said Mr Chikukwa.