Southern Africa Unexplained

Case · UFO Afrinews No 10, August 1994

Glowing trees after a whirlwind at Avondale cottages

Avondale, Harare, Zimbabwe

What was reported

Under the heading 'Not really pertaining to UAPs', the editors pass on a report from a witness who was staying in one of six cottages on a single property in Avondale, Harare; the other residents saw the same thing. First came a whirlwind that set everything spinning. Then, at 18:30, the trees took on a glow as though alight, yet there was no fire, and when the witness inspected them next day they showed no trace of burning. The witness had heard that the cottages stood on what was once an African graveyard, and the locals who saw the glow put it down to witchcraft or ghosts setting the trees alight. The witness rules out evening sunlight, insisting the trees really looked as if they were burning. Hind asks readers for any explanation.

What Hind made of it

Hind does not think it a UAP matter and asks readers for comment.

Explanation offered
Witchcraft or ghosts (local residents); sunlight ruled out by witness

In their words

  • All of a sudden, the trees started to glow, as though they were on fire, but there was no fire there.

    unnamed witness, spread 11

Cross references

  • Chinhoyi footpath lights, same letter, 10-11-3

Source

Cynthia Hind, UFO Afrinews No 10 (August 1994), spread 11

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