Hailstorm destruction at Bulawayo schools

A HAILSTORM hit two schools in Bulawayo on Tuesday, blowing off roofs and uprooting trees.

The destruction at Fusi Primary School in Gwabalanda suburb and Mzilikazi Primary School in Mzilikazi suburb occurred between 11AM and 1PM during lessons and no injuries were recorded.

Fusi Government Primary School.

A Chronicle news crew visited the two schools yesterday but school authorities said they were not authorised to speak to the media.

At Mzilikazi Primary School, a tree was uprooted and it fell on top of the computer laboratory.

Other roofs at the school were blown away in some of the classrooms. At Fusi Primary School, classroom roofs on different blocks were also blown away.

In an interview, Miss Susan Mhiri a resident who lives opposite Fusi Primary School said the hailstorm occurred just before 1PM.

"We heard students screaming inside the school due to the storm and the asbestos sheets that were breaking as they were being carried away by the wind. That might have frightened them because even as an adult there was a time I became scared due to the noise and the power that the rains had," she said.

"Nevertheless I appreciate that we have no students who became victims of the hailstorm. All students were safe in the classrooms."

A vendor who sells near Mzilikazi Primary School said the hailstorm occurred just after break time at around 11AM. "A huge tree fell and destroyed the computer lab," she said.