Zimbabwe: State of disaster in Masvingo, 8,500 roofs torn off and 67,500 people affected

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared a state of disaster for the city of Masvingo, in the south of the country, following a violent hailstorm. The announcement was made on October 7, 2026, by the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Daniel Garwe, under Section 27(1) of the Civil Protection Act. According to the minister's statement, the storm struck on Monday, October 5, 2026.

The figures reveal the scale of the shock: more than 17,000 households damaged, including approximately 8,500 whose roofs were completely torn off, according to preliminary assessments cited by the Zimbabwean daily newspaper The Herald. Nearly 90% of the households surveyed had their windows shattered. In total, 67,500 people are said to be affected in the city of Masvingo alone, including 13,500 households in the Mucheke, Rujeko, and Victoria Ranch neighborhoods.

No deaths have been recorded. The number of injured remains unknown, with unconfirmed reports of injuries caused by flying glass and metal sheets.

Without electricity, therefore without water

The lines and transformers of the national utility company ZESA were destroyed, depriving the city of power. The outages have in turn paralyzed water pumping, drainage, and sanitation networks—what the government describes as an immediate health risk. This is often how these disasters unfold: the real danger comes less from the hail than from the water that no longer flows.

Schools and maternity ward hit

Great Zimbabwe University has postponed its graduation ceremony from October 7 to October 23 and suspended classes until October 12, 2026, at its Mucheke campus. The Masvingo Polytechnic, the Masvingo Teachers' College, and the Maud Muzenda training center were also damaged, as was the wall of the Hellen McGhie Primary School. The Alpha Cottage children's home in Eastvale was hit hard, and the maternity ward at the Runyararo clinic was severely damaged. The passport office, the Grain Marketing Board, and the Masvingo airport are among the other buildings damaged.

A promise of compensation to be verified

Civil protection and the joint operational command have opened temporary shelters and an assessment center at Mucheke Hall; residents must register with the district coordinator. The Red Cross and Christian Care say they are ready to house displaced persons. Minister Garwe has called on the private sector and partners to support relief efforts.

The government states that the assessment of the damage is ongoing and that the victims will be compensated. No amount has been announced. In a country where promises of post-disaster aid have often been delayed, it is on this specific point that the residents of Masvingo will judge the state of disaster declared in their name.