The Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) says it will deploy more soldiers in Chimanimani, a move aimed at speeding up the infrastructure rehabilitation exercise in areas where Cyclone Idai left trails of destruction.
Chimanimani was early this year hit by a massive tropical cyclone which left hundreds of people dead and thousands either missing or displaced.
There have been growing fears that with the rainy season now in full swing, infrastructure repair will become impossible due to flooding.
This has forced the army to deploy more personnel to quicken the process to secure villagers some of whom have been living in tents.
Brigadier-General Staff, Brigadier-General Steven Gwekwerere said the ZNA will train more engineers, who will join their South African counterparts in cyclone-hit areas to foster development.
“The engineers who have graduated will go to Chimanimani to increase the number of engineers who are working with the South Africans in order to repair infrastructure that was destroyed during Cyclone Idai which hit the area. ZNA has been doing this for long as part of military aid to civil authority,” he said.
He vowed that the army will continue with its constitutional mandate to help civilians in times of disasters.
The ZNA was key in the evacuation of survivors in Chimanimani as well as moving in with food and other basic needs in the aftermaths of the disaster.
The South African government sent its army engineers who have been helping to rebuild critical roads and bridges which are seen as key to the redevelopment of the area.
The SA soldiers have been working on Rusitu and Nyahode rivers in Chimanimani district which will improve accessibility to the affected areas.
