CPU to use Covid-19 structures for rain induced disasters

Harare(New Ziana)-The Department of Civil Protection said on Tuesday structures that were used in the management of Covid-19 across the country have been activated to also attend to possible calamities caused by the rains being received in most parts of Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe is expected to receive normal to above normal rainfall in the 2020/21 rainy season with the Meteorological Services Department warning of heavy rains in excess of up 50 millimetres within 24 hours in some parts of the country since Sunday.

Department of Civil Protection director Nathan Nkomo said disaster management teams had been activated following the rainfall forecast by the MSD.

“We have activated the same structures which are dealing with the drought and the Covid-19 pandemic ready for normal to above normal rainfall as predicted by the MSD,” he said.

“A lot of people will be left homeless, some will be displaced but all those issues will be dealt with within the auspices of Covid-19,” he said.

Nkomo said Government had started reserving some of the Covid-19 donations for contingent disaster management.

“We have received several donations from various corporates, development partners and even individuals that have been channeled through His Excellency the President. We are the custodians of most of the donations and as a proactive measure, we will not distribute all the items. We have started reserving some of them such as grain and money as we approach the rainy season,” said Nkomo.

“We are aware that we are approaching the rainy season where according to weather forecast, some places will receive a lot of rains. We will therefore reserve some food and non-food items as a contingent. But for the perishables we are distributing to various hospitals across the country,” he said.

Heavy rains have in the past resulted in flooding with the last disaster being Cyclone Idai which left a trail of destruction in Manicaland province in 2019.

New Ziana