People in areas worst affected by Tropical Cyclone Idai should have vacated following advance warnings of impeding disaster by the meteorological services, Deputy Minister for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Energy Mutodi has said.

Mutodi said government did not have capacity to evacuate everyone before Cyclone Idai struck

“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.