HEAVY rains pounded Bulawayo on Thursday evening, leaving a trail of disaster, with residents affected after their houses and properties were destroyed.
Bulawayo chief fire officer Mhlangano Moyo told Southern Eye that many houses were affected in Cowdray Park, including Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company infrastructure
“There was a trail of disaster following a heavy downpour witnessed in Sigodweni area,” Moyo said.
“There is total disaster at several houses, where roofs and trusses were literally blown off during the storm.”
He said some bricks fell off the walls of some of the houses, including a power line which fell on a house damaging the roofing sheets.
“The wind blew off about 10 asbestos roofing sheets and the ridges of the roof were blown off by the wind.
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“We ended up suspending some operations since it was becoming dark, but we will continue to provide temporary cover.”
Moyo, however, underscored the need for practising good workmanship when constructing houses to avoid serious damages during times of disaster.
Ward 15 councillor Ashton Mhlanga said the rains accompanied by strong winds uprooted trees and destroyed some tuckshops dotted around the ward.
“Some trees along the roads had their roots uprooted, which led to the trees blocking the roads. Zesa poles were also affected and we have no power supply since then,” he said.
Mhlanga pointed out that most of the affected houses were those
constructed under the government-assisted Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle programme.
“There was no servicing done, some of them were built in low lying areas.
“As we speak, there are 18 houses that have been affected by this problem for many years.
“The affected families need to be relocated to a better place.”
Mhlanga said the relocation process is taking too long and is causing a lot of suffering to the affected residents as they are forced to buy new property after the one they owned would have been damaged.
“A place near TM super market has been secured for the relocation, but the process of validation is taking too long.”
However, some areas such as Mzilikazi and Queens Park also raised the same concern, claiming that they have been left without power supply after the rains.
Efforts to get a comment from Zesa western region general Shepherd Dadi were unsuccessful as he was not answering his phone.