Namibia

March 17, 2008

Floods have displaced more people at Oshakati and two more relocation centres have been set up to accommodate the growing number of flood victims.

A site behind Namibia Breweries, which was identified by Oshakati Town Council as a permanent place to accommodate flood victims who were at Oshakati Stadium and Ongwediva Trade Fair grounds is now temporary home to over 200 families and around 1000 newly registered flood victims since Thursday.

Water has swamped a lot of homes at villages near Oshakati and Ongwediva, forcing hundreds of people to flee their flooded homes to dry relocation centres.

Some residents from Omusheshe, Onawa ya Kiliana, Oidiva, Okahenge, Ehenye and Omayanga villages in Ongwediva Constituency are sheltered at a new site behind David Shikomba Shopping Complex at Ongwediva.

The centre accommodates 252 people all from villages in Ongwediva Constituency.

The Oshana Emergency Task Force has set up 12 tents, which accommodate families including elderly citizens. The task force has hired tents and is appealing for more in order to accommodate the growing number of flood victims.

Nilton Baptista, the owner of Rochas Restaurant in Ongwediva availed his boat to the council for rescue operations.

The number of people at Oshakati Independence Stadium has increased to 111 families and 133 individuals as last week some residents of Oneshila informal settlement were forced to vacate their flooded houses and were relocated to Oshakati Stadium. The Ongwediva Trade Fair grounds accommodate 669 flood victims.

Challenges

Villagers have been forced to live behind their property and livestock and fear that their mahangu and other property will be spoilt.

According to Ongwediva Town Council Corporate Communications Manager, Andrew Uutoni, there are still elderly people at villages in Ongwediva Constituency whose homes are flooded but they are refusing to be evacuated, fearing for their property and livestock. At the newly identified places, Uutoni said elderly people need special attention in terms of food preparations and daily care. Some of them do not have immediate families to take care of them.

The committee has selected people within the group to take care of them but Uutoni fears the help may not last.

Another problem is that Greenwell Matongo Reception Centre and the site behind Namibia Breweries are not fenced. "We might experience theft because we do not know who is who," said Uutoni.

Oshana Emergency Task Force has to identify another site to relocate people from Ongwediva Trade Fair grounds. Uutoni said the team did not want to disrupt the Ongwediva Trade Fair, which is due towards the end of the year hence efforts to relocate the people at the centre.

Another challenge, according to Uutoni, is storage space for flood victims' belongings.

"A place for storing flood victims' goods is the biggest challenge that we are facing. At the moment, we have designated a special tent for goods at Greenwell Matongo Reception Area because the army base where we were storing before is full."

Ongwediva Town Council is providing security guards with the help of occasional police patrols to protect the place.

The Oshakati Town Council has tight security at the stadium and the new site behind breweries.

The Oshana Emergency Task Force chaired by Oshana Chief Regional Officer, Johannes Kandombo, is expected to discuss the way forward on Wednesday.

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