Some villagers in the arid Hwange District are leaving their homes to scavenge for coke in Hwange Town, abandoning their chores including market gardening and farming in rainy seasons due to low rains and yields at a time studies are showing that temperatures have risen from a maximum of 25 degrees Celcius in the 1980s to around 35 degrees Celcius in recent years, as the effects of climate change bite.
To aggravate the situation, the little crops that survive the extreme heat are often at the mercy of elephants, which leave the giant Hwange National Park in search of food and water in neighboring villages.
Coal mining companies have for years been dumping coke piles near Madumabisa Village forming coke piles, which have become artificial hills. "We have about five cases of women who died after they got trapped in coke piles in recent years. The challenge we have is that these coke piles are not barricaded; anyone can easily walk in there, even children are at risk" he said."We are not responsible for whatever is happening. Our battery died in 2010 and since then we have not been processing coal," said Dr Beauty Mutombe cooperation's manager of the HCCL.
John Mupuro, a meteorologist with the Meteorological Service Department revealed there would be no joy for Hwange villagers again this year. The ministry however says there has been notable changes due to the impact of climate change and global warming. A 2020 study by Everson Ndlovu, an academic and a lecturer at the National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo shows that annual precipitation levels in Zimbabwe have gone down in the past two decades, with Matabeleland North Province experiencing an annual average of between 350 mm and 500 mm, against a national average of 500 mm - 750 mm.
"It is becoming worse every year. Droughts, flash floods and heavy rains are common during the rainy season. Last year was a bit better, but not everyone had a good harvest. we are worried that this year it is going to be worse since it was predicted that there is going to be low rainfall" He said Dube said elephants were moving from the game park to compete for food and water with humans.
Natural water sources in Hwange National Park often dry in August leaving Zimparks to pump water into pans for wildlife consumption. Zimparks has 105 solar powered boreholes in the park, but has been failing to provide adequate water because of the low water table.
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