Clemans Miyanicwe
Anker
Kunene Governor Marius Sheya on Sunday visited the Anker community to acquaint himself with the magnitude and the damage that was caused by earth tremors which measured 4.0 on the Richter scale a week ago.
Last week’s seismic shift terrified thousands of residents in Kunene Region. It occurred 80 km north-west of Kamanjab, the area located along the Kaoko Orogenic Belt, which is a regional tectonic unit on the north-west coast of Namibia.
Before the governor’s arrival at Anker settlement two tremors also shook locals on Friday night.
Johannes #Kheimseb told New Era that before the arrival of Sheya, two tremors were felt while they were in a church service at the Evangelical Lutheran Church last Sunday.
“On Sunday we felt tremors twice while attending church service. The governor must take this seriously and take it up with government agencies that deal with this,” #Kheimseb said.
Many locals that New Era spoke to said the governor and his team overnighted at Anker so that they too can acquaint themselves first-hand with tremors that occur almost daily.
Sheya visited Edward //Garoeb Primary School which is home to 327 pupils, as well as various households which were damaged by the tremors.
Sheya asked Nicolaas #Guiseb, hostel superintendent of Edward //Garoeb Primary School, what option will be better for the school. “Is it better to move the school to another site or should we just renovate it?”
#Guiseb who was delegated by the school principal as he was on vacation responded that tremors are heavily felt at the site where the hostel and dining hall are situated. “The tremors are felt heaviest here (at hostel site). It is stronger here but in the rocky areas it’s a bit light,” he responded.
The governor also wanted to know in which area of the local school the tremors are not felt heavily.
The owner of Gangan General Dealer shop told Sheya at the site where his business is situated the tremors are lighter and that it might be better if the school was situated that side.
Pauline //Haragaes, a cleaner at Edward //Garoeb Primary School, appreciated Sheya’s visit and noted: “We really appreciate the visit of our leader. This shows he is with us during hard times – we are unhappy our Sesfontein Constituency councillor did not visit us yet.”
Lydia /Awises showed where her house was cracked by the tremor.
New Era was told by high-ranking sources at the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture that N$5 million was made available last Friday for renovations for the local school whose walls were damaged.
Sheya also visited Anker clinic and auction kraal as well as //Gaio Daman Traditional Authority offices.