The ManicaPost
Luthando Mapepa
Chipinge Correspondent
EFFORTS to increase disaster preparedness in prone areas of Manicaland like Chimanimani and Chipinge have been heightened, with Government in partnership with development partners implementing various projects to improve interventions and mitigate the impact.
This has seen two automated weather stations being established at Mutambara and Mt Selinda high schools in Chimanimani and Chipinge districts respectively courtesy of Government and Terre Des Hommes (TDH).
Construction of two multi-purpose warehouses at Bumba and Kondo has also been completed, while an evacuation centre was established at Tongogara Refugee Camp to benefit the host community in Ward 16 and the inmates.
Marker beacons to indicate the edges of safe water areas were also installed at Dakate River in Ward 20 of Chipinge.
Working with Government through the District Civil Protection Unit, TDH implemented the Integrated Protection, Education in Emergencies and Disaster Risk Reduction (IPEED) programme since May 2021 which was funded to the tune of US$1 million by the European Union.
IEEP will run until July and will complement Government initiatives in areas of protection, education and preparedness during times of natural disasters.
Chimanimani District Schools Inspector Mrs Alice Shumba said they welcome the development, describing it as capacitating local communities to deal with natural disasters.
“We are very grateful for these initiatives in our district by Government and development partners. Our hope is that the automated weather station installed at Mutambara High School will play a critical role during times of natural disasters. TDH has also rehabilitated some schools damaged by cyclones. The multi-purpose warehouse will also serve as an evacuation centre. Before this development, the district used to rely on classrooms as safe havens during disasters,” she said.
Chipinge Rural District Council Ward 20 councillor, Councillor Charles Mugidho, said the marker beacons will be useful in indicating the edges of safe water areas for locals when rivers get flooded.
“Many people lost their lives trying to cross flooded rivers in Ward 20 and we hope that the marker beacons will provide sufficient warning to the people,” he said marks installed at Dakate river will warn the local people not to attempt to cross flooded river,” said councillor Mugidho.
TDH project coordinator Mr Vincent Kahondo said the projects are aimed at protecting the people from the vagaries of weather.
