The ManicaPost
THE rainy season brings joy and relief to many as it is a symbol of regeneration and life to people, animals and crops.
However, this period can bring with it challenges of its own associated with bad weather conditions and natural disasters, which may result in death, injuries and damage to properties.
Many parts of Manicaland Province last week received considerable rains, marking the onset of the rainy season which is largely characterised by agricultural activities.
It is against this background that we have to remain vigilant in the face of weather hazards that are likely to occur and the resultant lurking danger.
This will help in saving lives and property by preventing accidents and other mishaps.
Because travelling is a daily occurrence, whether over long or short distances, motorists have to take the utmost caution while on the road.
This begins by ensuring that their vehicles are in proper working and mechanical order.
There must never be any compromise on the functionality of wipers, brakes and headlights.
Tyres should have a tight grip for good traction.
With visibility usually reduced and roads getting slippery during the rainy season, speeding becomes dangerous.
With lightning and falling trees being common, people need to stay safe from falling victim to these mishaps.
Everyone should be reminded to desist from crossing flooded rivers as this poses grave danger of being swept away.
People must desist from trying to rescue livestock or salvage property from their homes when disasters like flooding or lightning strike.
We must also be on the lookout for flashfloods, flooding and landslides.
It, therefore, calls for taking extra care and other precautionary measures to avert disaster.
In the event of such eventualities, people must evacuate their homes quickly, move to higher ground and stay there until it is safe to return to their homes or are safely taken elsewhere.
Elsewhere in this issue, we carry a story on two people who lost their lives while their house was reduced to rubbles by a sawdust landslide in Mutasa last week.
Several other parts of Manicaland are susceptible to being affected by natural disasters and other adverse weather conditions like cyclones and tropical storms and it is important for the province to have a robust disaster management in place.
This is critical in strengthening preparedness and response capacity to other rainy season-related emergencies.
Schools are opening next week and particular care has to be taken at learning institutions to ensure the safety of learners.
Parents and guardians have to work together with schools with the objective of keeping children from harm’s way over the duration of the rainy season.
The Department of Civil Protection is on record saying it has activated its systems in the province to handle any potential weather-induced disasters.
Early warning systems must always be activated to ensure effective preparedness and efficient management, although the predictability of the rainy season is changing owing to the effects of climate change.
Hazards associated with the rainy season call for the responsible and relevant authorities to do more in educating the public about the associated dangers and how they can keep themselves safe.
Local authorities must also clear storm drains in order to prevent flooding in urban areas.
As communities, we need to be responsible and not carry out streambank cultivation or other farming activities in undesignated areas as this increases the risks of flooding after soil erosion.
The public must always follow alerts and updates by the weather forecaster — Meteorological Services Department — so that they stay informed and heed the advice given to uphold their own safety and security during the rainy season.
