By Mbono Mdluli
MBABANE – The Baphalali Eswatini Red Cross Society (BERCS) has extended crucial support worth E357,985 to residents in the Hhohho and Shiselweni regions, addressing the extensive damage caused by heavy rains and storms.
According to a Red Cross report, 11 family tents have been distributed to households whose homes were destroyed, primarily due to the fragility of stick-and-mud construction. Additionally, 53 tarpaulins were dispatched to aid families impacted by the December hailstorm in Mpolonjeni.
The report also highlighted ongoing assessments in areas such as Mahwalala, Nkoyoyo, Luvinjelweni, Mahebedla, Hawane, and Nkomazi, where a total of 55 individuals have been affected so far. In Shiselweni, relief efforts included the distribution of three family tents and 50 tarpaulins. Specific cases, such as those in Nkwene and Khiza under Shiselweni II, were addressed with emergency provisions for families whose homes were destroyed.
The relief measures covered damage from both the recent heavy rains and the December 2024 hailstorms that impacted the Motshane Constituency. The total value of materials distributed in the affected regions is estimated at E357,985.
The torrential rains that began on Monday night have caused widespread destruction to infrastructure across Eswatini. Notable damages include the collapse of a bridge at Ka Mjuda in Nhlangano and severe flooding in Kudzeni, under Ludzeludze Inkhundla in the Manzini Region. The latter incident has disrupted the construction of a new high school, as the site is now waterlogged, requiring remediation efforts before work can continue.
