By Own Correspondent- Deputy Minister for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Energy Mutodi said people in areas worst affected by Tropical Cyclone Idai should have vacated following advance warnings of impeding disaster.

Government did not have capacity to evacuate everyone before Cyclone Idai struck.

Said Mutodi:

“Warnings were issued to people through the meteorological services department and those residing in affected areas were supposed to seek shelter in safer zones, but you know people normally do not want to leave their homes. Government did not have enough to vacate everyone.”

However, civil society and politicians have blamed Government for its slow response to Tropical Cyclone Idai.

Election Resource Centre (ERC) boss Tawanda Chimhini said government should have been proactive considering the country has experienced similar disasters before.

Spokesperson for the MDC leader Nelson Chamisa Dr Nkululeko Sibanda said government should have done more to warn citizens and encourage citizens to vacate lower ground.

Sibanda said this could have saved a lot of lives.