A new report from the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) has revealed a trend of escalating extreme weather events and disasters across the country, directly linking them to global climate change and the El Niño phenomenon.
The Extreme Events and Disasters Report 2024 indicates that these climatic shifts are altering rainfall patterns and causing a rise in average temperatures.
According to the report, Zimbabwe experiences a wide range of hazards that pose risks to lives, livelihoods, and development.
These include natural hazards such as floods, flash flooding, storms, hailstorms, periodic cyclones, droughts, prolonged dry spells, landslides, environmental degradation, veld fires, and earthquakes.
“…all provinces experienced prolonged mid-season dry spells in 2024, with at least sixty percent of households in the respective provinces affected,” ZimStat said.
The report said the highest number of households affected by rainfall during the 2024/25 rainy season of 132 was in the Midlands province.
The report highlights the widespread impact of prolonged mid-season dry spells, with all provinces experiencing the phenomenon.
In some areas, up to 100% of households were affected, underscoring the deep and pervasive impact on food security and water resources.
The report noted a significant surge in veld fires, a hazard now occurring with increasing frequency and intensity. In 2024, the number of veld fire incidents rose by approximately 23% to 4,554, up from 3,717 in 2023.
The total area burnt also increased by 14.52%, reaching 982,964.33 hectares. Resettlement areas under the Model A1 and A2 schemes were the most severely impacted, accounting for almost 50% of the total scorched land.
Compiled using administrative data from various government and non-governmental bodies, the report is intended to provide statistical information to inform evidence-based policy decisions and enhance disaster risk management frameworks.
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