Africa-Press – Eswatini. At least 18 schools, including tertiary institutions, were affected by the windstorm that hit the country last Friday.
One of the affected schools is Nkwalini Primary School in Mbabane.
The ongoing rapid assessment of the impact of the windstorm has so far revealed significant damages on households and businesses.
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Communications Officer Wandile Mavuso said 233 homesteads, 1 221 people and 15 business infrastructures (which include spaza and small shops) were affected, mainly in the Manzini and Hhohho regions. “The preliminary findings also highlight the adverse effects on food security and livelihoods within impacted households. The windstorm caused damage to food items and disrupted vital household assets such as vegetable gardens, piggery farms, chicken coops and other small businesses.
Disruption
“This disruption will have a direct impact on the availability of food and the economic stability of affected households,” said Mavuso.
He said they obtained this information after undertaking a rescual assessment, which he said was done in collaboration with Baphalali Eswatini Red Cross Society (BRECS). He further revealed that they had also discovered that an 11-year-old in the Hhohho Region, died, while another person got injured during the windstorm.
In response, Mavuso highlighted that the NDMA, in collaboration with BRECS provided emergency kits to 32 affected households. “These kits include tents, tarpaulins and food items to help alleviate the immediate needs of those affected,” explained Mavuso. In terms of response and recovery, Mavuso indicated that the NDMA would conduct a comprehensive assessment to evaluate the impact of the windstorm and inform targeted response and recovery initiatives. He also pointed out that emergency response kits would continue to be distributed, while the comprehensive assessment was being conducted.
“Collaboration and coordination between the NDMA, government agencies, humanitarian organisations and local communities, will be crucial throughout the process, which will enable a more effective, efficient and inclusive response, fostering resilience and facilitating the restoration of normalcy for those impacted by the windstorm,” he elaborated. Meanwhile, Mavuso pleaded with the public to always get daily weather updates, which would help them prepare in case something similar or worse was about to happen.
“Knowing daily weather conditions will help homestead owners to prepare themselves in case the worst was about to happen,” he said. On the other hand, Naniki Mnisi, the Acting Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Education and Training, said she could only confirm that William Pitcher College and the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) were affected by the windstorm. Mnisi said at UNESWA, two parking lots were damaged at the Mbabane Campus and four at Kwaluseni Campus. She also mentioned that the UNESWA Foundation’s roofing was partially blown off. “I have been to these institutions physically to assess the damage,” said Mnisi.
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