Harare (New Ziana) – At least 74 houses in Mutasa District, Manicaland province had their roofs blown off by heavy rains caused by the Tropical Depression Ana, the Civil Protection Department said on Thursday.

The Eastern Highlands received the highest rainfall of any region in the country, with some areas recording above 200mm in 24 hours.

Civil Protection Department director, Nathan Nkomo told New Ziana that houses in Mashonaland East were also destroyed.

“When we thought we were off the hook, we realized that some districts in Manicaland, especially Chimanimani,Mutasa and Nyanga received some heavy downpours which then left a lot of infrastructure especially roads and bridges destroyed.

“Quite a number of houses in Mutasa, 74 of them had their roofs blown off. In Mashonaland East, some houses were affected in Chikomba,” he said.

“The district Civil Protection Committees are doing some rapid assessment so that we can assist the people,” he added.

Nkomo said at least 10 people were marooned in Muzarabani, and were rescued by neighboring Mozambican authorities.

“Yesterday (Wednesday), we almost had 10 people losing their lives in Muzarabani in a village called Kairezi where 10 people were marooned in the Mukumbura River and as we speak they were rescued by the Mozambicans. They are on the Mozambican side and we have advised them to wait until the water in Mukumbura River has subsided,” he said.
He urged the public to avoid crossing flooded rivers.
New Ziana