Thunderstorms kill five children

Zim Now Writer

The heavy rains and strong winds that pounded Harare and other parts of the country on Monday night, killed five children, four of them from the same family.

The rains left a trail of destruction, uprooting trees, damaging security walls, billboards as well as causing flash floods in areas with poor drainage.

The four children from the same family died after their hut was struck by lightning in Buhera District while a fifth died in Gokwe North.

The fifth child killed was from Kwashira Village in ward 14 of Gokwe North where 17 homes were partially destroyed by the rain, according to the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, which houses the Department of Civil Protection Unit.

The five-year-old child died from head injuries and two others from the village were evacuated to hospital.

All DCP structures at national and sub-national level have been put on alert after the warning of the band of thunderstorms, although the Meteorological Services Department yesterday highlighted that this was not the start of the rainy season.

Through the National Multi-Hazard Contingency Plan, a blueprint guiding national response to rainfall induced incidents, food and non-food items are being distributed to affected households countrywide with partners being engaged to complement Government efforts.

Blocked and broken storm-water drains in central Harare and its environs led to flooded roads and heavy traffic jams.

In its statement yesterday, the Local Government Ministry said besides the deaths of five children in Buhera and Gokwe North, injuries also had been reported in Gokwe North, Redcliff, Kwekwe and Mazowe districts.

“In Buhera district on Monday the district experienced saw the death of four children who were struck by lightning while sleeping in their hut with their mother. The lightning is said to have struck the hut, killing the four children. The mother managed to escape the incident unhurt, but could not save her children,” said the Government.

“Rapid needs assessments are being done to ascertain immediate interventions required. Government has activated all Civil Protection Structures at national and sub-national level,” reads the statement.