ABOUT 20 families were left stranded after strong winds blew off part of the roof of their homes at Sidojiwe Flats in Belmont, Bulawayo, yesterday afternoon.
The disaster struck at around 3.30pm.A resident at the flat that was affected, Mrs Gretchen Nyoni, said she was in her kitchen when it started raining.
“I was in the kitchen when it started raining when suddenly a bolt of lightning struck followed by strong winds which blew off the roof and the rain started pouring into the flat,” she said.
Mrs Nyoni said there was chaos as people were wondering what was happening.
When a Sunday News crew arrived at the flats, the MDC-T Member of Parliament for Bulawayo South constituency, Mr Eddie Cross, Councillor for Ward 6 Thabitha Ngwenya and Bulawayo fire department were assessing the damage.
Mr Cross said the disaster needed urgent attention as the rains were still pouring.
“This is an urgent situation that needs fast reaction as the rains are threatening to continue falling. The affected families need urgent relocation this evening,” he said.
Mr Cross said they were trying to source tents and other equipment from the National Railways of Zimbabwe to cover the affected areas.
An officer from the city fire department, Mr Danford Chimbadzwa, told the Sunday News that no injuries were recorded.
“About 18 families were affected and fortunately there were no injuries recorded. The fire brigade does not have any tents to assist the affected families and it is a pity since the rains are still pouring. An official from the department of housing is here looking at possible emergency relocation,” he said.
Clr Ngwenya lamented the loss of property.
“Food, clothes and property were destroyed and it is sad looking at the situation of some of these people. As we speak, some of the property is getting rained on as it is in the open,” said Clr Ngwenya.
Mr Cross said there had been a slow reaction from the City Fathers on the permanent relocation of the residents.
“The council has over the years promised to relocate these residents but it seems to be taking too much time. There are stands that were allocated recently but there is no money to build.
“I have engaged the donor community abroad to secure at least US$10 million to build houses so we are still doing consultations and we hope it will be fruitful,” he said.
The small flats that house the families are shared between two families separated by cloths or pieces of furniture. The toilets and bathrooms are communal and the residents said they feared for their health.
“We use a bucket to flush the toilets and there are many people so the level of hygiene is rather poor, so diseases can attack us easily,” said Mrs Florence Moyo who has been staying at the flat for the past nine years.
Clr Ngwenya said the City Fathers should be sympathetic to the plight of affected residents.
“In this one block there are about 300 children and many do not attend school as they do not have birth certificates. What is needed is safe and decent accommodation where they can be raised. What is going to be of these children if they grow up in these harsh conditions,” she said.
The affected flat (Block 1) had many of the floors cracked following the bolt of lightning that struck the flat and residents are worried over the structural strength of the building following this incident.