User:Hope A Ncube/sandbox/Weather Hazards In Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is affected by various weather hazards including droughts, floods, heat wave, lighting and wildfires over the past century. These weather hazards has affected a lot of people in Zimbabwe resulting to a number of deaths and other challenges. Sixteen districts across six provinces Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West, Mashonaland East, Midlands and Matabeleland North in Zimbabwe have been affected by heavy rains and floods since the 2021/2022 rainy season began in October 2021. The Tropical Storm Ana weather system brought heavy rains to Zimbabwe in late-January, causing floods and damage, affecting 845 houses and 51 schools.

Weather Hazards

Weather hazards are conditions which are unfavorable to people and their activities that result from weather phenomena. Most of these cannot be prevented however their effects can be mitigated. Weather hazards include any naturally occurring weather condition that has the potential to cause either harm or damage to people.

Types of weather hazards that has affected Zimbabwe.

The main weather hazards that have affected Zimbabwe include:

• Drought
• Floods
• Lightning
• Frost
• Heat wave
• Wildfires

Drought

Climate and Weather near Kariba in Zimbabwe

Drought has to do with a period of abnormally dry weather which is usually caused by having little or no rainfall leading to lack of water.

Effects of Drought in Zimbabwe

In Zimbabwe droughts carry many effects which include factors leading to economic struggles as inflation rates go up as farmers undergo crop failure and loss of livestock a well as often wildfires. Due to drought the country is faced with serious water shortages as well as outrageous power cuts.

Mitigation

To limit the effects of drought the country can make u of cloud seeding, stocking of harvest in GMBs during fruitful years, practice irrigation as well as servicing dams as well as rivers that are no longer serving their purpose.

Floods

Flooding refer to an abnormal overflow of a large amount of water beyond its normal limits, especially over what is normally Drylands. These are caused by abnormal rainfall and cyclones.

Effects of Floods in Zimbabwe

The primary effects of flooding include loss of life and damage to buildings and other structures, including bridges, sewerage systems, roadways, and canals. Floods also frequently damage power transmission and sometimes power generation. The country has also faced economic hardship due to a temporary decline in tourism, rebuilding costs, or food shortages leading to price increases is a common after-effect of severe flooding.

Mitigation

In January 2022 the country’s Department of Civil Protection (DCP) set up 394 evacuation centers in Manicaland province to deal with the impact of Cyclone Ana.This was the government's way of limiting the effects of the floods as it was noted that parts of Mutasa and Chimanimani districts were already receiving strong winds and heavy rains associated with the storm. Another way of mitigating the effects of flooding is relocating people before during and after the floods and ensuring that everyone is at safe place when the cyclone hits the arear. This is seen in Zimbabwe were the authorities announced that school children from the most vulnerable areas should not go to school but stay home on the days when cyclone Freddy was expected.

Lightning

Lightning is associated with weather patterns whereby there is a natural electrical discharge from the clouds which occurs for a very short period and it heats the ground or earth, it is usually accompanied by a bright flash and typical thunder. Lightning may damage a lot of things and may is dangerous to livelihood.

Effects of lighting in Zimbabwe

Lightning is very harmful; it affects both livelihood as well as the infrastructure. A number of people have been hospitalized and some died due to the effects of lightning this is evidenced when lightning bolt struck and wounded 13 male prisoners while they were having lunch at a jail in northwestern Zimbabwe, and in some arears especially game parks a number of animals have died due to lighting. Lightning also has a record of destroying infrastructure, one family in Beitbridge were left stranded as they lost their home to lightning.

Mitigation

To prevent and reduce the effects of lighting people are advised to avoid open space as well as standing under toll trees and to ensuring that buildings have lighting protection as this will help to protect the building from lighting hence minimal risk of being affected.

Frost

Frost occurs when weather patterns changes causing a deposit of small white ice crystals formed on the ground, windows, cars or other open surfaces when the temperature falls below freezing

Effects of Frost in Zimbabwe

In 2021 Zimbabwe Farmers Union director Paul Zakariya confirmed to herald that a number of famers are affected by frost as he said they had received numerous reports of ground frost that had affected several crops across the Zimbabwean growers hit by frosty conditions. In some areas like Matobo wear frost often hits people are always affected by frostbites as they would have been affected by the cold.

Mitigation

Agriculture expert Mr Ivan Craig encouraged farmers to reduce damage of crop to frost by growing crops that are less susceptible to frost in winter these are pnion, peas, garlic, cauliflower, broccoli, carrot and winter cabbage among others. People who are in areas always affected by frost are encouraged to keep warm all the time to avoid developing frostbites. Farmers could also construct a wall of thatch grass around the garden or burn cow dung around the field as this will help trap frost when it comes.