Online Reporter
Herald Reporter
Tropical Depression Chido brought extra rain across Zimbabwe yesterday in combination with a mid-level cloud band from Botswana, with some areas receiving heavy downpours of over 60mm while others saw less than 15mm.
Although the storm caused minimal disruption locally, Mozambique bore the brunt of what was still then a cyclone hitting mainland Africa with at least 34 deaths and over 23 600 homes destroyed.
In an update yesterday, the Meteorological Services Department of Zimbabwe said: “Widespread thunderstorms occurred across the country with notable rainfall amounts recorded in Ruwa (64 mm), Marondera (49 mm), Shamva (38 mm), Lupane (34 mm), Zvishavane (26 mm), and Bulawayo Airport (15 mm), while the rest of the areas received less than 15 mm.”
Yesterday morning, cloudy and mild conditions were experienced nationwide, with rain and thundershowers reported in some places. By the afternoon, cloudy conditions persisted, accompanied by scattered thunderstorms across the country.
This activity, according to the latest weather update, was driven by moisture from Chido, a former tropical cyclone now downgraded to a depression, moving westward across the country, in combination with a mid-level cloud band extending from Botswana.
However, this morning, mild and cloudy weather is anticipated across the country, with Matabeleland North and South and Bulawayo Metropolitan, plus Midlands, expected to experience morning rain.
In the afternoon, the Matabeleland provinces and Bulawayo Metropolitan could expect cloudy and warm conditions with scattered thunderstorms, while the rest of the country would be partly cloudy and hot, with isolated thunderstorms.
While the rest of the country was forecast to be partly cloudy with mild temperatures throughout, the Met Department expected cloudy conditions with rain showers over all of Matabeleland and Bulawayo Metropolitan tonight.
Yesterday, as a cyclone, Chido caused devastation in northern Mozambique before sinking from cyclone to tropical storm to tropical depression.
The National Institute of Risk and Disaster Management in Mozambique reported yesterday that Chido had damaged or destroyed 170 fishing boats, nearly 23 600 homes, and more than 300 people.
Overall, more than 175 000 people in Mozambique were affected by the storm, it said.
28 people were killed when Chido made landfall in Cabo Delgado province on Sunday. Six more people were killed in Nampula province and Niassa, which are further inland.
As of yesterday, rescue crews were still working through the heavily damaged areas.
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