EDITORIAL COMMENT:Take steps to limit Tropical Cyclone Idai impact

Zimbabwe woke up to an overcast sky yesterday and the resulting drop in temperatures, a respite from a prolonged heat wave that scorched crops and made people uncomfortable.

The change in weather is consistent with a forecast issued earlier in the week that Tropical Cyclone Idai could be on its way into Zimbabwe.  As predicted, the cyclone hit Mozambique’s port city of Beira late on Thursday, causing cancellation of flights and a power outage that affected 500 000.

This followed weeks of heavy rains that had by yesterday afternoon killed 122 people in Malawi and Mozambique, displaced 140 000 and destroyed public infrastructure in both countries.  On Tuesday, Malawi President Peter Mutharika declared a state of emergency after 56 people died and hundreds of thousands were displaced by flooding that occurred because of torrential rainfall. 

In Zimbabwe, the Government has warned that high rainfall of up to 50mm within 24 hours and wind speed as high as 180km/hr could hit Manicaland, Masvingo, Mashonaland East and Mashonaland Central provinces by tomorrow.  Therefore, the overcast conditions and depressed temperatures we started experiencing yesterday could be an indication of Cyclone Idai gathering further east and moving further inland.  

The Meteorological Services Department (MSD) said in a statement on Thursday:

“By this morning, it is expected to continue moving towards the Mozambique border and is anticipated to make landfall in Beira in the early hours of tomorrow (yesterday).  Masvingo, Manicaland, Mashonaland East and central provinces should start experiencing cloudy and windy conditions with isolated thundershowers. Elsewhere, it should be partly cloudy.”

The Civil Protection Unit also warned:

“This particular weather system is expected to give rise to significant rainfall over Masvingo, Manicaland, Mashonaland East and Mashonaland Central provinces and may result in increased risk of flooding and damage to homes and infrastructure.  Accordingly, all communities in Masvingo, Manicaland, Mashonaland East and Central and other parts of the country that may be affected must maintain vigilance and are advised that every effort must be made to access weather updates and pay particular attention to information needs of people with disabilities and those with chronic illnesses. 

“In case of strong winds, it is safer to shelter in houses with the strongest roofs and to close all windows and doors. Communities should be on the lookout for rising water levels and quickly move to safe places when there is need to do so. Children must be supervised and never play near pools, rivers and streams. Flood water and food which has been in contact with flood water is not safe.  For those living in cities and towns, the usual fire and ambulance services can be alerted in cases of emergencies. In rural areas, communities should contact local police, councillors or nearest clinic.” 

Many would remember the deaths and extensive damage that was wrought by Cyclone Eline in 2000 and the flooding that was experienced in the country in 2017.  Probably the worst tropical cyclones ever to hit our country they left 140 and 246 people dead respectively and tens of thousands homeless and injured. We indeed have frightening memories of those weather phenomena but hope that the information that has been availed by the MSD well before Tropical Cyclone Idai occurs here will assist people to take precautions to limit its impact.

Our people in the provinces at risk are strongly encouraged to take heed of the communication that has been coming from the Government through its various agencies such as the CPU and the MSD.  They must be extremely careful about their environment today and especially tomorrow when the cyclone is projected to enter our country.  Since the skies are already grey there is no much need to continue looking up but to begin to watch for any unusual rains and wind speeds.  As soon as it begins to rain or as soon as strong winds blow, we must be indoors, not just indoors, but in a building that is structurally sound.  Let’s keep out of rondavels of any kind because no rondavel is strong enough to withstand the gale force winds or torrents we fear will lash Manicaland, Masvingo, Mashonaland East and Mashonaland Central this weekend.  

It is vital too for our people to avoid unnecessary travelling, including crossing, playing or working in rivers or streams.  Because these are likely to be cyclonic rains, they will fill up dams very fast and cause flooding very rapidly.  Therefore, it is wiser for our people in the east and north-east to be always near secure buildings today and tomorrow lest they are caught out.

The Government has done well by warning of the possibility of the cyclone. We expect this to continue and be expanded. The electronic media, especially radio, has been used to relay the warning which is good and must be intensified until the risk passes. We expect that the word has officially been delivered to community leaders as well for them to be ready to respond if any excessive rains and winds occur in their villages.  Actually, it is in the countryside where we fear the worst impact of the inclement weather would be experienced given that the people in the areas tend to be outdoors often and that their homes aren’t as structurally strong as those in urban areas.  Therefore, the messaging must be targeted more at the communities at the biggest risk of Tropical Cyclone Idai.

We pray that the cyclone will continue weakening as is had reportedly done hours after it made landfall in Beira, Mozambique.  

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