Victoria Kaapanda
Aletta Shikololo
Four people, including an 80-year-old woman and a teenage boy, lost their lives after they drowned in flooded water pans over the weekend.
Two of the incidents took place in Oshana and the other two in the Ohangwena region. Oshana police spokesperson Sergeant Frieda Shikole said the victims from her region were identified as Tshirume Atanasia (80) from Uudhengelo village, Omagongati area, and 16-year-old Tangeni Tadeus from Onawa village. It is alleged the elderly woman drowned on Friday afternoon while trying to cross the water pan on her way from the local shop, where she went to buy maize meal. The following day, Oshana police divers managed to retrieve the body of Tadeus, who drowned while on his way to visit his relatives at Onawa village.
The next of kin for both victims were informed. The drowning incidences in the Ohangwena region involve two men of 27 and 47 years. Further details surrounding their deaths are yet to be released. Shikole extended caution to parents to be mindful of their children’s whereabouts and to never leave them unattended.
“We urge the Namibian society to be careful and not underestimate flooding rivers, water ponds, wells and every place surrounded by water. In light of that, as the Namibian Police Force, we want to reiterate safety and caution around water,” stated Shikole.
20 000 learners affected
Meanwhile, lessons at about 30 schools in Oshana, Omusati and Ohangwena regions have been completely or partially suspended due to flooding water streams in the regions.
This has affected about 20 000 learners.
The situation has forced the education ministry to suspend lessons at severely flooded schools and suspend all junior classes at schools that are surrounded by water streams.
As of yesterday, 18 schools in the Ohangwena region have been closed.
Ohangwena is one of the highly affected regions, with over 16 000 learners affected by torrential floods. Ohangwena regional council public relations officer Silas Nepembe said although only 18 schools are completely closed, 36 are affected – and if the flood persists, the number will increase.
“At Undjombala combined school,
learners are camping at school,” he said.
According to yesterday’s flood update, seven schools in the Oshana region have been closed, while the Omusati region has had five schools closed so far. Deputy education director in Oshana region Hilma Nuunyango-George said there are instances where only a few learners at a school are unable to attend lessons. In such cases, Nuunyango-George said arrangements are made to provide such learners with learning materials to do school work at home. “Our education planners are on the ground, monitoring the situation at schools,” she said. The deputy director called on parents and teachers to ensure the safety of the pupils.
Oshikoto region is slightly affected by the flood as compared to other regions, and no school has been closed so far.
Despite that, education director in Oshikoto region Aletta Eises said they are experiencing challenges of poor infrastructure at various schools.
This has led to the interruption of lessons when it rains, as many classrooms are made of corrugated iron sheets.
The region has over 400 makeshift classrooms. “The directorate is busy putting up permanent structures at schools that are most affected, and we are finding ways on how best we can address the issue of lack of classrooms in the region,” she said.
Speaking at a press conference last week, Popular Democratic Movement leader McHenry Venaani said the closure of schools due to flood is not a solution, and the government should rather allocate rubber boats to take pupils to and from school.
He called on mining companies and the business community to come on board and assist the government with rubber boats as soon as possible.
Relocation
By yesterday afternoon, a total of 653 people who are displaced from their homes by efundja in Oshana and Ohangwena regions were housed at flood camps that are set up in their respective regions.
Authorities say these numbers are steadily increasing. The Oshoopala informal settlement in Oshakati is one of the flood-hit areas in northern Namibia, which forced authorities to relocate at least 321 residents to higher grounds.
Similarly, 332 residents of the Ohangwena region have been relocated to Oshikango and Ohangwena constituencies’ flood centres.
In addition, some communities are cut off
by water, and their villages are only accessible by boat, as the roads are flooded.
Furthermore, 29 crop fields in Oshana are submerged by water, a situation that has also deprived livestock of grazing land.
Oshakati town council spokesperson Katarina Kamari also confirmed that the number of flood-affected victims continues to rise daily. The displaced residents have been allocated to a temporary shelter at Ehenye in Oshakati. “We are not sure how many people will be at the camp yet, but we are advising everyone to move where it is safe, they should not risk their lives,” Kamari said.
She also warned those who have been relocated to refrain from going back to their homes, as they would be risking their lives.
According to Nepembe, to date, 332 residents have been relocated to seven centres in Oshikango and Ohangwena constituencies.
The Office of the Prime Minister recently donated the Ohangwena Regional Council with flood relief items, comprising 82 blankets, 100 bags of mahangu flour (12.5 kg each), 100 bottles of cooking oil, 10 800 tins of fish, 100 mosquito nets, 93 mattresses and 15 tents. Omusati governor Erginus Endjala, on the other hand, said the situation is so far manageable, and no relocation has taken place in his region.
Northern-based hydrologist Leonard Hango said there is a possibility of more flood waves, as heavy rains keep falling in Angola.
- ashikolo@nepc.com.na