THE Zimbabwe Red Cross Society, ZRCS, has deployed surge support and started assessments in Mashonaland West, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland Central and Manicaland Provinces, while also distributing response materials to worst affected areas with the support of Danish Red Cross and Finish Red Cross.
Own Correspondent
Part of the response also includes offering first aid to the injured while pre-positioned relief materials will be distributed in response to needs assessment include tents/ tarpaulins, hygiene kits, blankets, jerrycans and mosquito nets.
ZRCS volunteers are already on standby, while in some places such as Chipinge and Chimanimani, they are already conducting simulations for First Aid and Psychological First Aid preparedness.
In Mashonaland West Province, stronger winds and heavier rains were reported around the Makuti area while Mola and Siakobvu areas are not accessible as bridges have been destroyed while one weir dam breached. A number of houses reported to be collapsed in Mhondoro Ngezi district.
Mashonaland East province dispatched response material to Mudzi district as per request of the Civil Protection Committee while in Manicaland 19 Households had their homesteads blown out by strong winds in Nyanga district (Ward 21, 31, 27).
Also Gairezi Clinic and Nyafaru High School had their roof blown off. In some places, roads were blocked by trees felled by the strong winds. Red Cross is conducting further assessment today. According to the Met Services Department, heavy rainfall deposits were recorded in Nyanga (121mm), Chisengu (80mm) and (100mm) in other boarder areas.
These heavy rains will continue to weaken infrastructure as moisture saturation increases. The province dispatched response material to Chimanimani and Chipinge Districts yesterday where Red Cross Volunteers have been conducting Early Warning Communication using Megaphones.
In Mashonaland Central ad Harare Provinces, light drizzles and moderate winds are being experienced. Chiwenga and Mukumbura areas have been mostly affected with heavy rains and rivers have been reported to be overflowing, backflow related flooding is imminent. Accessibility remains a challenge with reports of trees falling down in Harare Northern Suburbs.
In Masvingo-province is currently monitoring at Tugwi Mukosi an in-land lake that is now over spilling, Cyclone induced rains are feared to increase volume of down spill and increase downstream flooding and emergencies. Increased water accumulation in the dam is also feared to cause flooding to upstream communities due to dam backflows, if this happens, approximately 80HHs from Maringire Community will be potentially affected.
The Department of Civil Protection is preparing Maringire Primary as a potential evacuation centre to be prepared as an evacuation centre for Chivi villagers if affected. ZRCS is on standby to respond and to date has been conducting continuous joint monitoring and awareness raising in hotspot areas with the Chivi DCP.
Reports received today indicated that 11 households in Masvingo Rural District, Gunikuni village, have been permanently relocated to the higher ground used as the evacuation camp site in 2021. ZRCS will today assess the conditions and needs as a result of this relocation.
According to the Meteorological Services Department, the first tropical system of the season has developed into a moderate storm and was named Ana. The system is moving south westward and has reached Mozambique. It is projected to bring localized heavy rains which may reduce visibility and cause riverine/ flash flooding and strong winds which may carry debris, roof sheets, or break off tree branches in Manicaland and Mashonaland Provinces from the 24th to the 27th of January 2022.
