The ManicaPost
Jabulani Mangezi:Post Correspondent
A National Railways of Zimbabwe train derailed near Mutare Farm Prison after a section of the railway line collapsed following the heavy rains that pounded in and around Mutare on Monday.NRZ Workers, who declined to be identified, say the train was travelling to Harare when the accident occurred. Diamond FM reporters visited the scene in Weirmouth where NRZ workers and Security Guards were attending to the wreckage of the train.
Although no injuries were reported, a section of the railway line was washed away by the rains and passenger and goods wagons suffered extensive damage. The mangled remains of passenger wagons and goods wagons laden with Ammonium Nitrate could be seen at the scene of the derailment.
Mutare and surrounding areas experienced heavy rains from late afternoon on Monday, with areas west of the city such as Weirmouth, Bernwin, Sections of Dangamvura and Chikanga experiencing hail storms.
Residents of Weirmouth said the rains were so heavy that fowl runs and crop fields were washed away. One resident said that she lost 100 chickens as the rains flooded her fowl run killing the fowls.
Evidence of the severity of the storm could be seen in the decimated maize crop at Mutare Farm Prison where a whole crop was lacerated by hail stones.
Figures obtained from the Fire Department indicated that 48mm of rain were recorded in Mutare and the Meteorological Department has forecast that the country will receive normal to above normal rainfall this year, and have since issued warnings of storms and possible flooding, especially in low lying areas.
