A violent hailstorm hit Bindura last Thursday evening uprooting trees, knocking over electricity poles and damaging the Bindura Hospital’s X-ray room when the roof was blown off and damaging the roof of the theatre.
Trees were uprooted and about 40 electricity poles fell, knocking out power in places for four days.
Deputy Director of Local Governance, who is also the Provincial Civil Protection Unit focal person, Mr Willard Masimba, said the X-Ray and theatre rooms at Bindura Hospital were not functioning and patients are being referred to Concession and Shamva hospitals.
“A wi-fi aerial fell on the roof of the theatre room damaging seven roofing sheets. The storm blew off the roof of the X-ray room, flooding the two critical units,” he said.
“The roof of the eye unit and staff house were also damaged as well as the children’s wards, causing flooding. The drainage to the records office and male ward failed, which also resulted in flooding.
“The main door to the administration block was blown away and the accountant’s room ceiling started leaking. Roof gutters to the greenhouse were removed and the passage of the training school was damaged.”
Several properties were damaged during a violent hailstorm in Bindura recently.
The estimated cost of repairing the damage is US$70 000.
Mr Masimba said most of the damage was recorded in Bindura town with other districts not recording severe incidents.
He said four units at Mt Darwin flats belonging to the National Housing Fund, along the Bindura-Mt Darwin Road near Bindura University of Science Education, had their roofs blown off.
Horticulture farmers also lost 2ha of vegetables with some mango trees knocked over, while 5ha of maize at knee level was flattened.
“We have five people who sustained bruises due to the storm who need medical assistance. Meanwhile, 20 households need food aid, 10 households need clothing and blankets and 15 houses need roofing materials,” said Mr Masimba.
“Most of the affected areas are part of Cleverhill and Green Hill suburbs, and the National Housing Fund flats. As the provincial CPU, we are running around seeking assistance and Freda Rebecca Mine has come on board to assist ZETDC in restoring the poles and power.
“Most of the electricity cables were knocked down.
“We are reaching out to the corporate world to assist the affected families.” – The Herald
