Zimbabwe’s Cabinet, last week approved the Emergency Preparedness Plan for the 2021-2022 rainfall season with fears that climate-induced hazards are on the rise in Zimbabwe and the SADC region.
Chairperson of the Cabinet Committee on Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Management, July Moyo presented to the cabinet the contingency plan with the view of reducing potential losses due to natural disasters.
Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the government set aside adequate financial resources to cover the set programmes (in the plan) and stakeholders and stakeholders have been directed to commence drills in anticipation of any eventuality.
The Civil Protection Unit will be spearheading the implementation of the plan.
The World Bank has already predicted that extreme temperatures and precipitation reduction will be more prominent in Zimbabwe.
Forecasts on Zimbabwe’s weather also show that the likelihood of the country encountering severe drought will increase by 21% in 2040 – 2059 and 47% in 2080 – 2099
The number of days with maximum temperature above 35°C is expected to increase by 39 days in 2040 to 2059, and 108 days in 2080 to 2099 according to the World Bank.
Change in days of consecutive dry spells annually is also projected to increase by 13 days in 2040 – 2059 and 25 days in 2080 – 2099.
Climate-induced hazards on the increase include droughts, floods, hailstorms, lightning and strong winds.
There are also other increasing incidents of geophysical and human-induced nature such as landslides, earthquakes, environmental degradation, veld fires, mining, industrial accidents, spillages and explosion of industrial chemicals.
From 1900 to 2017 Zimbabwe has encountered droughts, epidemics, floods and storms which claimed roughly 7000 people and created total damage of US$950 million.
Cyclone Idai which took place in 2019 left at least 344 people dead with the government appealing for $613 million in aid from local and foreign donors.
Programmes lined up in the contingency plan include:
- Education and awareness on hazards related to the rain season
- raising alarm/alert mechanisms using indigenous knowledge systems and local resources
- assisting in rapid and comprehensive damage assessments and setting up of priorities
- implementing response/recovery programmes and providing feedback as necessary
- providing appropriate equipment and machinery
- instituting effective early warning systems.
