A thunderstorm has rampaged Harare since last night, uprooting giant trees and destroying infrastructure.
Zimbabwe has been experiencing scorching heat this October, with the temperature smashing 40°C in some areas. Most people assumed this was mainly because of the predicted drought, expected to ravage the country and the Southern African region.
The drought predictions made some assume the rains might delay hitting Zimbabwe. However, a heavy-laden cloud swayed into the country and on 15 October, some areas experienced rains. Bulawayo, Masvingo, and Matabeleland regions encountered heavy rains on Sunday.
The rainy clouds seeped further into the country, and heavy deluges ravaged many areas, including Harare, yesterday. In the capital, the rains started as showers late into the afternoon, degenerating into thunderstorms deep into the night.
The rain fell throughout the night, and at some point, it was accompanied by string winds. The thunderstorm uprooted trees in the central business district. Along the city’s roads, the thunderstorm also destroyed billboards in its wake, blocking roads and causing traffic congestion on roads like Simon Mazorodze.
A picture of a ZANU PF billboard written, “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo”, was also uprooted by the storm, and some people are creating memes out of it. The Meteorological Services Department has forecasted that the heavy rains will shake Manicaland today.
Zimbabweans expressed varied emotions as a thunderstorm uprooted trees and destroyed infrastructure in the capital.
Mgodish:
“We weren’t warned. Where are those responsible for the weather report?”
Zambezi:
“Zvakaoma kani.”
Simba:
“haaa pakadai wonzwa kombi yacho ichinzi $1.50.”
Grace
Most @ZESAHOLDINGS_ poles in Norton along Bulawayo Road just before Karina are down.”
Linda:
“The state of roads in Harare has reached a devastating level. Everyone knew about the heavy rains to come, yet no effort was made to fix roads before the rainy season. What are the ZINARA funds being used for? All the roads in Mash Central are in a sorry state as well.”
Source iHarare
