Caprivi flood victims: Starting over but glad to be home

THOUSANDS of people displaced by the floods in the eastern Caprivi are slowly rebuilding their lives.

Emergency operation workers confirmed this week that the relocation centres at Impalila, Schuckmannsburg, Kasika and Lusese, have been totally cleared of their occupants. Over the past three weeks, Government has facilitated the return of more than 2 200 people – with many having already left the safe havens on their own some weeks before.At the height of the floods in April, these centres accommodated more than 9 000 people.Since returning home, people have reportedly started ploughing their fields.”They are happy, there are no big problems,” said the Emergency Communication Centre’s head, Frederick Simasiku, following a visit by Kabbe Constituency Councillor and acting Governor Peter Mwala on Monday.Simasiku said the Regional Emergency Management Unit (Remu) was focusing its efforts on transporting food by helicopter to warehouses in the affected areas to feed flood victims at least until next month, when it is hoped roads will be in a state to facilitate travel to major centres.Simasiku said many people’s belongings also still had to be transported from the relocation areas and returned to them.The Zambezi River, as measured at Katima Mulilo, has now subsided to only half a metre in depth.The Education Director for Caprivi, Innocent Mahoto, was pleased to report that all schools were again in full swing.Schools at Namiyundu, Nankuntwe, Mpukano, Muzii, Ikava and Ivilivinzi had been closed as a result of the floods.Schools at Nankuntwe and Ikava have, however, lost sections of their buildings to the floods and are having to use tents as makeshift classes for the time being.Because many houses were washed away by the torrent, teachers now have to live in some of the classrooms.Mahoto said desks, chairs and other school assets had been well protected by security guards.Mahoto, who visited the schools on Monday, said teachers had been told to run additional classes and use the school holidays to get children up to speed.Many, he said, were very far behind as they had been away from school for so long.Grade 10s who will soon have to sit for external exams were accommodated at other schools during the flood period to ensure they did not lose crucial study time.The Namibian Red Cross Society, which played a pivotal role in the rescue and shelter of flood victims, is also winding up its operations in the area.Red Cross Information Officer Abel Hamutenya told The Namibian that a team was scheduled to travel to the area next week to assess their operations and to determine what further assistance might be needed.Hamutenya said flood victims had been allowed to return to their villages with the tents they were given at the relocation areas.Many homes and other infrastructure will have to be rebuilt in the coming months, he said.It is also expected that people will need seed to sow, with many of their crop fields having been destroyed.More than 15 000 Caprivians were affected by flooding this year when the Zambezi River rose to more than seven metres.Over the past three weeks, Government has facilitated the return of more than 2 200 people – with many having already left the safe havens on their own some weeks before.At the height of the floods in April, these centres accommodated more than 9 000 people.Since returning home, people have reportedly started ploughing their fields.”They are happy, there are no big problems,” said the Emergency Communication Centre’s head, Frederick Simasiku, following a visit by Kabbe Constituency Councillor and acting Governor Peter Mwala on Monday.Simasiku said the Regional Emergency Management Unit (Remu) was focusing its efforts on transporting food by helicopter to warehouses in the affected areas to feed flood victims at least until next month, when it is hoped roads will be in a state to facilitate travel to major centres.Simasiku said many people’s belongings also still had to be transported from the relocation areas and returned to them.The Zambezi River, as measured at Katima Mulilo, has now subsided to only half a metre in depth.The Education Director for Caprivi, Innocent Mahoto, was pleased to report that all schools were again in full swing.Schools at Namiyundu, Nankuntwe, Mpukano, Muzii, Ikava and Ivilivinzi had been closed as a result of the floods.Schools at Nankuntwe and Ikava have, however, lost sections of their buildings to the floods and are having to use tents as makeshift classes for the time being.Because many houses were washed away by the torrent, teachers now have to live in some of the classrooms.Mahoto said desks, chairs and other school assets had been well protected by security guards.Mahoto, who visited the schools on Monday, said teachers had been told to run additional classes and use the school holidays to get children up to speed.Many, he said, were very far behind as they had been away from school for so long.Grade 10s who will soon have to sit for external exams were accommodated at other schools during the flood period to ensure they did not lose crucial study time.The Namibian Red Cross Society, which played a pivotal role in the rescue and shelter of flood victims, is also winding up its operations in the area.Red Cross Information Officer Abel Hamutenya told The Namibian that a team was scheduled to travel to the area next week to assess their operations and to determine what further assistance might be needed.Hamutenya said flood victims had been allowed to return to their villages with the tents they were given at the relocation areas.Many homes and other infrastructure will have to be rebuilt in the coming months, he said.It is also expected that people will need seed to sow, with many of their crop fields having been destroyed.More than 15 000 Caprivians were affected by flooding this year when the Zambezi River rose to more than seven metres.