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Takunda Maodza Manicaland Bureau Chief
THE windstorm that ravaged Mutasa District recently affected 90 households, 10 schools and destroyed a clinic, a report by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has indicated.

Emergency shelter is urgently needed for those affected.

“A windstorm hit Mutasa District on the night of 10 October 2019, affecting approximately 450 individuals, 10 schools and a church,” reads an IOM report.

“The most affected wards are 4, 7, 10, 14, 16, and 23.The windstorm blew off roofs of houses and destroyed household property in the process. About 10 households were reported homeless, one minor was injured and a school child struck by lightning.”

According to IOM,  the affected schools were Five Stream, St Augustine’s High School, Bvumba, Sahumani, Chisuko, Lerato, Makwara, Makwasa and Muparutsa.

At Five Streams Primary School, the storm occurred in the afternoon and a child was killed by lightning, while at St Augustine’s roofs of seven dormitories were blown away, leaving 132 school boys without accommodation.

“Immediate needs for St Augustine’s are blankets and mattresses for students and generator for power,” said the IOM.

At Bvumba and Sahumani, staff houses, toilets and learning materials were destroyed. The same damage occurred at Loreto, Makwara and Muparutsa where play centres were also destroyed.

“IOM supported Mutasa District Civil Protection Unit to conduct two assessments in Mutasa District to evaluate the needs of the affected population.

“The immediate needs of the affected households were reported to be emergency shelter. Schools require building, learning materials and resuscitation of power supply,” said IOM.

Mutasa District development coordinator Mr Tendai Kapenzi told The Herald that efforts were being made to repair the damaged infrastructure.

“We are still in the process of mobilising assistance. We got tents from the Red Cross and IOM.

“Quite a number of schools were affected, it is not St Augustine’s alone,” he said.

Mr Kapenzi said some of the schools had insurance and repair works had already started. He gave an example of the Anglican Church-run St Augustine’s that is insured with Zimnat.

Mr Kapenzi said Government had also engaged its various departments to ensure damaged infrastructure was repaired.