Devastation Strikes Mberengwa District as Rains Ravage Infrastructure – Silveira House
By Staff Reporter
In an escalating disaster that has gripped Mberengwa District, the Jesuit Social Justice and Development Center, Silveira House, has issued a desperate plea for immediate assistance after heavy rains unleashed catastrophic destruction across the region.
Since last Thursday, the relentless downpour has torn through the area, annihilating essential infrastructure, including bridges and roads, and severing the lifeline for many remote communities.
Tendai Ncube, an environmental monitor working closely with Silveira House, painted a grim picture of the ongoing crisis. “The situation is deteriorating rapidly,” he said, his voice heavy with concern. “Ward 28 is now completely isolated after the Mwenezi bridge was violently swept away by raging floodwaters. The destruction has also made it impossible for people in the neighboring Ward 15 to cross the Jeka Bridge, which was obliterated by the floodwaters. Worse still, the Mutorahuku River near Makuva Township is impassable, leaving entire communities stranded.”
In addition to the devastation of transportation routes, the disaster has wreaked havoc on local homes and sanitation infrastructure. “Countless houses have collapsed, leaving families in dire need of shelter,” Ncube continued.
“The destruction has left many without proper sanitation, putting entire communities at high risk of a disease outbreak. Children are unable to attend school, and the community is in a state of overwhelming distress.”
Reports confirm that the already critical road linking Mberengwa to Mataga has been left in ruins, exacerbating the crisis.
Zandile Mvududu, Silveira House’s program officer, made an urgent call for immediate intervention from all stakeholders.
“The damage to critical infrastructure is devastating. Mobility has been completely disrupted, making it nearly impossible for community members to access basic services. Some monitors who were scheduled to attend a Parliamentary budget meeting at Masase couldn’t make it due to impassable roads,” Mvududu stated, her voice filled with urgency.
Adding to the grim updates, Nick Mangwana, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services, confirmed the dire state of Mberengwa in a recent post on his X account.
“Three weeks of unrelenting rains have obliterated vital bridges such as Mabika, Jeka, and Pumula, leaving communities like Danga Business Centre entirely cut off. The region’s access to healthcare, food, and emergency services has been crippled,” Mangwana warned.
The catastrophe is now a race against time as the desperate need for help intensifies. The affected communities, once cut off from the outside world, now face an uncertain future as they struggle to survive the aftermath of one of the worst natural disasters in recent memory.
