Disasters in Zimbabwe

The Department of Civil Protection (DCP) in the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works leads national coordination. The National Civil Protection Coordination Committee brings together health, police, defence, prisons, civil aviation, local-authority fire services and the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society. Provincial committees are coordinated by the Provincial Development Coordinator, while District Civil Protection Committees are coordinated by the District Development Coordinator. Area civil protection officers organise local services, orders and resources with local authorities. Zimbabwe's statutory civil protection framework covers natural disasters, major accidents, destruction or scarcity of essential supplies, disruption of essential services, refugee influxes and epidemics that threaten communities. The most relevant hazards include floods and flash floods, drought and dry spells, severe thunderstorms, lightning, strong winds, tropical cyclones, landslides, rockfalls and river or dam incidents. ZINWA supports water-resource and hydrological risk management. The Zimbabwe Republic Police supports major-disaster management, the Zimbabwe National Army supports search and rescue, and the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society supports community preparedness and anticipatory action. The Meteorological Services Department provides forecasts, severe-weather warnings, climate and seasonal rainfall reports, rainfall and agricultural bulletins, seismology bulletins and other monitoring products. Its public channels include weatherzw.org.zw, daily and weekly forecasts, Alerts/CAP, seasonal forecasts through NACOF and email subscriptions. The portal interface supports English, Shona and French. The latest supplied alert-page check recorded no active alert, but live status should be checked before action. Zimbabwe's 2026 Early Warnings for All National Action Plan links disaster-risk knowledge, monitoring and forecasting, warning communication, preparedness and response. Action-Based Forecasting connects forecasts to predefined actions, thresholds and responsible institutions, with emphasis on local-language communication, accessibility and last-mile delivery. Households, schools and businesses should maintain continuity plans and supplies of water, food and essential items. When authorities issue instructions, people may need to move themselves and livestock to safer ground. Flooded rivers should not be crossed. During lightning, enter a safe building and avoid open areas, taps, showers and machinery. For immediate danger, contact emergency services and provide the exact location, hazard, casualties and access constraints. Published numbers vary by network and service: the Zimbabwe Republic Police lists 911 for police, 101 for fire and 108 for medical emergencies; the POTRAZ numbering plan lists 112 on Econet and Telecel, 114 for police on NetOne, 119 on Telecel, and 993 for fire, 994 for ambulance, 995 for police and 999 for general emergencies on fixed networks. Notify the local authority, District Development Coordinator, area civil protection officer, Provincial Development Coordinator or DCP when appropriate. DCP contact details supplied for disaster coordination are +263 242 793700, +263 242 791470, WhatsApp 0777390875 and support@mlg.gov.zw. The President may declare a state of disaster when extraordinary measures are needed to assist or protect affected or potentially affected people. The declaration identifies its start date and defined area, lasts three months unless withdrawn earlier, and can be extended by statutory instrument before expiry. No automatic declaration threshold, public application process or fixed response deadline is specified. During a declaration, a civil protection officer may require written information, specified stocks of fuel, food, water or medical supplies, and disaster-related work or services that are reasonably necessary. The officer may also take possession or control of land or property with written notice as soon as possible. A person who objects can require an application to the Administrative Court within 30 days, and possession must end when it is no longer reasonably justifiable. Prompt adequate compensation applies to taking, non-return or damage. Unlawful non-compliance can lead to a fine of up to level 6 or imprisonment for up to one year inside the disaster area, and a fine of up to level 5 or imprisonment for up to six months outside it. The Act recognises registered volunteers, but no fixed public volunteer duty is evidenced. The National Civil Protection Fund finances civil-protection development, research, training, equipment, buildings, schemes and related expenses through parliamentary appropriations, advances and gifts. It is not an automatic individual cash benefit. A destitute or indigent person, or a representative, may apply to the Director of Social Development or Social Welfare in the prescribed form. The decision may register or reject the application, with notification within a reasonable time; the type, amount, duration and conditions of assistance are decided case by case. The Food Deficit Mitigation Strategy supports food-insecure households during drought or food shocks through public works or food-for-assets. It includes labour-constrained households such as older-person-headed, child-headed, chronically ill, disabled and high-dependency households, with geographic targeting based on ZimLAC and poverty or food-security assessments. Shock-responsive cyclone and flood support is noted in the 2025–2030 ministry plan, but no uniform current transfer amount is evidenced. Recovery is coordinated through civil protection committees and can involve psychosocial support, infrastructure continuity, water management, drainage, roads and weather services. Exact shelters, relief packages, reconstruction support, eligibility rules, quantities, costs and deadlines vary by declaration, programme and locality. Zimbabwe has no nationally published universal evacuation-route, shelter-list or registration system in the supplied research, so site-specific arrangements should be confirmed with the relevant provincial or district committee, local authority or ministry.