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Zimbabwe: Let's Make This Winter Safe for All
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 Published by the government of Zimbabwe |
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The Herald (Harare)
17 May 2008
Posted to the web 19 May 2008
Harare
THE winter season is upon us and the Meteorological Services Department has warned people to brace for one of the harshest winters in years.
Zimbabwe has experienced a very wet summer with record rainfall in November and December.
Conclusions from historical data show that a very wet summer is usually followed by a very cold winter.
And it is this dreaded time when the drop in temperatures is so significant that it comes with casualties in the form of both human beings and animals.
At least 40 people have died from direct and indirect severe winter spells during the past five winter seasons, where in some instances, minimum temperatures dropped to as low as five degrees Celsius.
Among the victims have been many who lived in the open and others in small, poorly-ventilated and poorly-insulated structures, which offered little protection when temperatures fall drastically, especially at night.
In very cold winters, it has not been surprising to wake up and find those living in the streets, especially vagrants, having succumbed to the cold.
Even those with homes have also remained vulnerable during harsh winters when people have the urge to leave heaters and braziers on all-nightlong after it becomes very cold.
But the result can be tragic as shown by the number of deaths recorded during the past years when braziers and heaters were left overnight.
People must be warned to take precautionary measures when using heaters and braziers, commonly known as mbaura in Shona.
When left burning overnight, heaters and braziers do not only burn up oxygen but as oxygen levels fall, carbon monoxide which is a deadly colourless and odourless gas is produced, resulting in people dying from asphyxiation.
There are also instances when cold spells have prompted people to make faulty and often illegal electrical connections to backyard accommodation structures.
This has been blamed for most backyard shack-fire deaths.
There have also been deaths resulting from people who after drinking, take a nap in the open during cold winters.
Alcohol can cause the body to lose heat at a faster rate.
Taking precautionary measures is therefore very important.
It is incumbent upon individuals and families to ensure that when temperatures drop, they must protect themselves and their loved ones against the cold.
A few tips would be to wear warm, loose-fitting clothing.
Several layers are better than one.
Also wear warm socks and hats when going to bed to help hold in body heat.
It also helps to place a rug or rolled up towel at the bottom of doors to reduce a blowing breeze.
For outdoor wear, it is advisable to wear hats that cover the ears, scarves for further protection and gloves.
Heaters and braziers are needed whenever it gets very cold, but it's important for everyone to always avoid leaving unguarded heaters and braziers heating homes all night.
The consequences can be too ghastly to contemplate.
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Let's spread around the risks that come with using heaters and braziers as it would be sad to lose lives in ways that could have been avoided if precaution had been taken.
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