News / National
Violent storm destroys schools in Plumtree
09 Oct 2020 at 10:06hrs | Views
A HEAVY storm accompanied by strong winds which hit Bulilima district on Tuesday night has left a trail of destruction at six schools and a number of homesteads.
It also plunged Plumtree town and the border post into darkness after triggering numerous electrical faults along the main power line from Bulawayo.
The storm, with high speed winds, reportedly pounded the district for seven hours non-stop causing Maitengwe River to burst its banks, flooding Maitengwe Border Post.
Bulilima West legislator Dingimuzi Phuti, who is also ICT deputy minister, confirmed that some schools in his constituency were extensively damaged.
"The situation in Bulilima district with regards to the hailstorm of Tuesday night is devastating," Phuti said.
"The rains were so much that they flooded Maitengwe River in just seven hours, that is from 11pm until 5am and that is a lot. It was a deluge. The affected schools obviously include Muke, as well as Mangubo and Mbimba 1 from my constituency. It also affected Gonde, Gambu and Gala in Bulilima East."
"What I have done is that, I have decided to seek local leaders' attention to get home-grown solutions on what should be done. As a legislator, I have engaged the local authority and just discussed with the chief executive officer of Bulilima RDC and will alert the Minister of State for Devolution for Matabeleland South so that the disaster management aspects of government are activated."
He added: "It obviously affects children as we have just opened schools after a long spell of COVID-19 responsive lockdowns. I don't know if we will have adequate infrastructure to allow for writing of examinations at Muke, if I should say. It has become very annual, each time we have problems emanating from such."
The destruction comes barely a month after Fairview Primary School in the same district had its roofs blown off by a windstorm.
It also plunged Plumtree town and the border post into darkness after triggering numerous electrical faults along the main power line from Bulawayo.
The storm, with high speed winds, reportedly pounded the district for seven hours non-stop causing Maitengwe River to burst its banks, flooding Maitengwe Border Post.
Bulilima West legislator Dingimuzi Phuti, who is also ICT deputy minister, confirmed that some schools in his constituency were extensively damaged.
"The rains were so much that they flooded Maitengwe River in just seven hours, that is from 11pm until 5am and that is a lot. It was a deluge. The affected schools obviously include Muke, as well as Mangubo and Mbimba 1 from my constituency. It also affected Gonde, Gambu and Gala in Bulilima East."
"What I have done is that, I have decided to seek local leaders' attention to get home-grown solutions on what should be done. As a legislator, I have engaged the local authority and just discussed with the chief executive officer of Bulilima RDC and will alert the Minister of State for Devolution for Matabeleland South so that the disaster management aspects of government are activated."
He added: "It obviously affects children as we have just opened schools after a long spell of COVID-19 responsive lockdowns. I don't know if we will have adequate infrastructure to allow for writing of examinations at Muke, if I should say. It has become very annual, each time we have problems emanating from such."
The destruction comes barely a month after Fairview Primary School in the same district had its roofs blown off by a windstorm.
Source - newsday
