Delegates attending a workshop at Golden Peacock Villa Hotel in Mutare had to scurry for cover after a ceiling in one of the conference rooms fell in the wake of heavy rains associated with strong winds that fell in the Eastern border city on Thursday afternoon.

The hotel lost the rooftop of one of its conference rooms while the ceiling to another room fell in on delegates who were attending the 2019 national gender forum.

Efforts to get a comment from the hotel management were fruitless as those on the ground refused to comment.

Manicaland has recorded a series of heavy hailstorms that have destroyed infrastructure in Mutare, Chimanimani and Mutasa.

There has also been an increase in the number of people who have been struck by lightning.