The ManicaPost
Violent storm razes house with children inside
Liberty Dube Weekender Correspondent
A CHITAKATIRA family was on Sunday left without a roof over its head after a heavy storm that pounded the area ruptured the roof of its two bed roomed house with three children inside.
The heart wrenching incident, in which the storm reduced the house to a heap of rubble, occurred in Nehwangura village on Sunday around 2pm.
The hailstorm left the Mukombiwa family both homeless and destitute as it also destroyed foodstuffs, clothes, blankets and other household property worth thousands of dollars.
Three children who were in the house when disaster struck were lucky to be alive.
Only Bezel (16) sustained some pronounced injuries after the brick rubble from the collapsed wall fell on and injured his head and legs.
The two other children, including a four-year-old boy, sustained some lacerations which have since healed.
Bezel failed to get timely medical attention after failing to raise at least $200 needed for his medication.
When The Weekender visited the family on Wednesday, nobody had come forward to assist him financially.
His condition is worsening.
The other children looked traumatised and starved.
Their mother Patricia Mukombiwa, who was away performing some menial jobs to fend for the family when the incident occurred, said they were living from hand-to-mouth.
Patricia, who is a widow and her children, are surviving on handouts from benevolent members of the local community.
The family has sought temporary shelter at a disused house near their homestead.
“We were left with virtually nothing as our clothes, food, blankets and other valuables were destroyed by the hailstorm.
So dire is our situation, and we do not know what will happen next,” said Patricia.
Her children and neighbours were failing to fathom the disaster, and fears abound that with more heavy rains expected, their safety could not be guaranteed.
“I was in Buwerimwe village when the hailstorm destroyed my homestead. I survive on menial jobs, and on that fateful day I was working in someone’s field in exchange for food and money (a practice commonly known as maricho in venecular)”.
Patricia’s eldest daughter Nomatter chronicled what transpired.
“The rains were really heavy and we were so afraid since our mother was not around. Sadly the roof was blown off and the windows were smashed within a few minutes.
‘‘The walls gave in and some brick rubble fell on Bezel and he was injured on the legs. We were so desperate and the only thing we managed to do was walk out of the razed structure and took refuge next door,” said Nomatter.
The Mukombiwas’ neighbour Dean Matondo, said the family needed urgent assistance amid fears that the hailstorm recur.
He challenged members of the public to come aboard and assist the family in cash or kind
“Anyone willing to assist the Mukombiwa family with money, clothes, food and building materials should contact them through mobile number 0772 520 970. The family virtually lost everything and they are destitute,” he said.
