The rainy season has started on a rather violent note after a hailstorm destroyed house, shops, several properties and leaving many homeless in Checheche.

The rainy season is certainly upon the nation with heavy rains being witnessed in Harare and other parts of the country.

In Makonde district Mashonaland West, 10 students from Montrose School near Lion’s Den have been struck by lightning.

Four of the students are said to be in a critical condition and were taken to Murereka Clinic Lion’s Den for resuscitation while the six remaining were taken to Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital.

Chinhoyi Hospital Medical Superintendent Collet Mawire confirmed that the students are receiving treatment and an ambulance has been dispatched to ferry the other four students from Murereka Clinic to Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital.

Everyone at Checheche Growth Point waited patiently for the rains following a period of exceedingly high temperatures that were a cause of discomfort.

When it appeared that relief had come, the rains brought sad news as some people lost their houses when roofs were taken away, with shops, several tuck-shops, houses and a UCCZ Checheche Church being affected by the hailstorm that affected many buildings in and around the area.

One of the residents whose house was affected Irikidzai Mtetwa said the violent storms that occurred for about an hour did not only destroy houses and shops but struck two people who survived.

She said most people now fear the hailstorms following the tragic incident of lightning that killed three people in Mashame village three days ago.

The affected villagers, however, appealed for assistance in the face of the tragedy.

The violent hailstorms that affected Checheche are a replica of the storms that affected parts of Chimanimani west last season destroying schools and houses leaving most people counting their loses.

-State Media