Victoria Immanuel

Festus Hamalwa

The forces of nature seem to conspire against residents in Namibia’s northern regions, as floodwaters continue to affect more communities.

This disruption has an impact on schooling and daily life for those living in its wake.

Added to this is a severe outbreak of armyworm attacks on crops, raising concerns about a weak harvest, as most crops are destroyed.

Over 55 inhabitants of the Eshoke and Onaminda villages in the Ohangwena region have relocated to Helao Nafidi after their homesteads were flooded.

The disaster has significantly threatened food security and livelihoods, as many mahangu fields have been destroyed.

So far, nine schools in the Ohangwena region have closed, leaving learners trapped in their homes.

In Omusati, more than 15 schools have suspended classes due to heavy flooding. 

In addition, some people have relocated.

Natalia Ndjelandu from Eshoke village said her mahangu field and bedroom are now submerged.

She broke into tears in fear that she would not harvest as much mahangu as she expected.

“I worked very hard in my mahangu field. I saved money from the social grant to pay for the tractor for ploughing,” she stated.

Ndjelandu said this is the third time she has had to relocate to a safer place due to floods. 

She lives with her 56-year-old son, and recalled that the flood occurred on Tuesday night, flowing from Angola.

Another flood victim, Kristine Nghilondo, said she relocated to her brother’s house because her house was flooded.

“We didn’t eat anything the first day the flood arrived. It’s not easy when we are trying to cultivate our fields, but the flood is destroying everything,” she stressed.

Assistance

Ohangwena regional governor Sebastian Ndeitunga said his office is ready to assist those who are affected by the flood. 

 “We have set up tents to accommodate people whose houses were flooded. Some have already relocated as of yesterday,” he said yesterday during a visit to the affected houses to assess the situation.

Ndeitunga stated that people in the tents will be provided with food and water. 

Police officers will also be stationed on site to ensure security for those who have relocated.

“I will engage the Office of the Prime Minister to discuss how we are going to assist the people,” he said.

Ndeitunga urged constituency councillors and headmen to work together to ensure that flood victims are attended to promptly.

“I will also engage the transport ministry to assess the situation, and see how they can assist,” he noted.

Ndeitunga said if access to roads to the schools is not improved, the situation will keep repeating itself.

Ndeitunga urged parents to always monitor their children to avoid them from drowning in the floodwaters.

Uuvudhiya: Residents turn to donkey carts

The Uuvudhiya constituency is amongst those which are severely affected by the raging floods in the Oshana region.

Here, residents have turned to traditional means of transport, notably donkey carts. 

The heavy rainfall has rendered floodplains impassable by foot and submerged numerous roads, leaving many vehicles stranded on higher ground.

Oshana governor Elia Irimari said the flooding has severely disrupted daily life, with 10 schools in the Oshana region temporarily closing, as pupils are unable to cross the floodplains. 

He said submerged mahangu fields have raised concerns among subsistence farmers about potential harvest losses.

Irimari noted that in response to the crisis, the disaster risk management team has provided boats and life jackets to assist residents in navigating the floodwaters. 

“The defence ministry has pledged to supply a helicopter for emergencies. We are also taking some health personnel to reach out to those who can’t move to town,” he stated.

Uuvudhiya councillor Timotheus Shivute urged government to expedite the construction of access roads and proper bridges to the area. 

 “Cars are now stuck, and people are struggling. Currently, they are using a road called Onatuni-Onkani. Just imagine, travelling from Uuvudhiya to Oshakati requires a round-trip of about 180 kilometres. Passengers are being charged exorbitant fees,” he stressed.

Shipanga Efraim from Omulunga village noted that even donkey cart operators are now charging fares, adding a financial burden to those already affected by the floods.

 Another resident, Selma Shilongo from Ehafo Lyakandenge village, expressed distress over her submerged homestead and ruined crops.

She, however, acknowledged the arrival of fish with the floodwaters as a small blessing.

Armyworms worsen matters

A devastating armyworm outbreak is also sweeping through northern regions, leaving farmers in distress, as thousands of crops are destroyed. 

As the outbreak spreads across different regions, the fear of a failed harvest is growing, with farmers hoping for swift and effective action to prevent further destruction.

The armyworms have threatened food security and livelihoods. 

Onesi constituency councillor Festus Petrus described the infestation as widespread, affecting nearly every part of the area.

“As I am standing now, I see worms on maize. They are a lot. This is reportedly in the entire constituency,” he said. 

Petrus urged residents to report affected fields so that the agriculture ministry can intervene with spraying efforts.

In Omadhiya village of the Omusati region, Ruth Amukoto is one of the many farmers who are devastated by the loss.

“Our crop field is destroyed by armyworms. One side of the field is under water. We thought we were going to have a bumper harvest this year, but natural disasters destroyed all of it,” she lamented.

Despite using natural methods to combat the pests, Amukoto and other farmers have seen no improvement. 

The situation has left many worried about food shortages in the coming months.

In the Okalongo constituency, councillor Lauretius Iipinge confirmed reports of the armyworms damaging crops in the Omufituwonyama village.

“They said it only eats at night, so they don’t see it during the day. We have informed officials from the ministry of agriculture to trace it and investigate,” he said.

The outbreak has likewise reached the Oshana region, where Ompundja constituency councillor Adolf Uunona reported that farmers in four villages suffered losses.

“The worms are a lot. They eat crops such as millet, maize, sorghum and others. They also consume grass meant for animals,” he said.

Efforts to control the spread are underway, with the agriculture ministry arranging spraying operations in affected areas. 

However, farmers fear that if the infestation is not contained soon, they could face total crop failure.

The agriculture ministry has acknowledged the seriousness of the outbreak, and assured farmers that intervention measures are in place.

The ministry’s spokesperson Simon Nghipandulwa highlighted the importance of early detection and reporting.

“After significant rainfall, many pests, including armyworms, are more likely to infest green vegetation, including cultivated crops. While this is a natural occurrence, it is crucial for farmers to regularly monitor their fields and report any findings to the nearest ministry branch,” he advised.

He added that the ministry has trained personnel equipped with spraying equipment and pesticides to address the infestation.

“Farmers are encouraged to report infestations immediately, and remain connected to local information-sharing platforms for updates and intervention plans,” Nghipandulwa urged.