Assessing disaster preparedness and recovery from tropical cyclones in Zimbabwe: Insights from Cyclone Ana in Nyanga

This study examines disaster preparedness, response and recovery following Cyclone Ana (2022) in Nyanga District, Zimbabwe, against a backdrop of increasing tropical cyclone risk in Southern Africa. The study focuses on how preparedness, early warning systems, response mechanisms and recovery processes operated in cyclone-affected communities. Using a qualitative research design, the authors draw on focus group discussions, key informant interviews, participant observation, government reports, local administrative documents and field observations to assess impacts on livelihoods and infrastructure, preparedness and response strategies, and opportunities for strengthening disaster risk management (DRM).

The findings reveal persistent gaps in community preparedness, early warning communication and institutional coordination, with DRM systems remaining largely reactive, centralized and unevenly implemented. Although warning information was widely disseminated, its technical and generalized nature limited local interpretation and did not consistently prompt protective action. Recovery efforts were similarly constrained by short-term funding cycles and uneven targeting, resulting in variable outcomes across communities. At the same time, communities demonstrated strong capacity for collective action, mobilizing indigenous knowledge, social networks and mutual support to address immediate needs. The authors conclude that a critical implementation gap persists between policy commitments and practice. They recommend strengthening adaptive contingency planning, regular community-based risk assessments, simulation exercises, pre-positioned supplies, clearer links between early warning and action, stronger capacity development, sustainable financing, integrated data systems, enhanced coordination across governance levels, and community-centred approaches that embed local knowledge and participation across all stages of disaster risk governance.