Families in Masvingo are still repairing broken roofs and shattered windows more than a week after a violent hailstorm hit the city and surrounding areas on Monday, 5 October. President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared it a state of disaster.

The declaration was announced by the Local Government and Public Works Minister, Daniel Garwe, under Section 27(1) of the Civil Protection Act. It allows the government to mobilise state resources quickly and to appeal formally for help from development partners and the private sector.

The scale of the damage

According to government figures reported by the Herald and New Ziana, more than 17,000 households were damaged in the storm. About 8,500 of them had their roofs blown off. Schools, clinics and other health facilities, businesses and public infrastructure were also hit.

Hailstones broke windows and tore through roofing sheets across the city, and social media posts from residents showed flooded streets in the storm's aftermath.

The storm hit at a hard time for families already stretched by the cost of living. The rainy season is starting, and families left without roofs face the prospect of more storms in the coming weeks.

The relief effort

Information Minister Dr Zhemu Soda told the post-Cabinet briefing on Tuesday, 13 October, that the government had "activated a comprehensive national response and resilience-building initiative". It involves the public and private sectors, development partners, civil society, local authorities and affected communities.

A command centre has been set up in Masvingo to coordinate the response. Measures announced so far, according to the Herald's report of the briefing, include:

Food aid: 90 tonnes of mealie-meal and 90 tonnes of rice have been dispatched. Partners are also providing food and non-food items, with support targeted at 6,711 vulnerable households. These include elderly people, people living with disabilities, child-headed households, children and the chronically ill.

Repairs: renovation work has started on damaged public buildings, and the government says it will keep raising money to repair all affected schools.

Social workers: they have been deployed to affected communities. CITE reports that damage assessments are being carried out door to door.

Questions about early warning

At the same briefing, ministers admitted that a recent disaster had exposed weak communication between the Meteorological Services Department and the platforms used to warn the public. They said early warning systems are now in place in almost every province. Residents and civic figures have used social media to call for faster warnings and for community support for the worst-hit families.

How to help

The government has appealed to businesses and well-wishers to support the recovery. Anyone wishing to donate is advised to give through recognised channels, such as the Department of Civil Protection, the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society or established churches and charities. Avoid individuals soliciting money on social media, where scams often follow disasters.

We will update this story as the official damage assessment is completed and as repair work progresses.

Sources: Herald, Oct 2026: https://www.heraldonline.co.zw/president-declares-masvingo-hailstorm-state-of-disaster-8-500-households-had-their-roofs-blown-off/ · New Ziana, Oct 2026: https://newziana.co.zw/masvingo-hailstorm-declared-a-state-of-disaster/ · Herald / Zimbabwe Situation, 14 Oct 2026: https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/news/masvingo-hailstorm-response-in-action/ · CITE, Oct 2026: https://cite.org.zw/government-takes-masvingo-storm-damage-assessments-to-affected-communities/