Dolam houses flooded, new stadium blamed

SOME residents of Dolam location in Katutura, Windhoek, were forced to flee their homes when a river came down in flood after Wednesday evening’s heavy thunderstorm.

The river burst its banks and storm water flooded about 14 homes behind the new Sam Nujoma Stadium in Katutura. The power supply in the area was also knocked out.Residents called the Windhoek Municipality’s Emergency Unit, which started pumping the water from their homes and took the people to a community hall where they spent the night.When The Namibian visited the area yesterday, the homes were still filled with water and mud.”Our children did not even eat this morning because there is no power and there is water in the kitchen,” said Petrina Namises, a kindergarten teacher at the location, whose mother’s house was also flooded.”Everything in our house has been damaged,” she added.Her mother, Klaudia Namises, said it was not the first time that their homes were flooded and they have been appealing in vain to the Municipality to do something about the situation.Namises said the construction of the Sam Nujoma football stadium diverted the river too close to their houses.”We are not against development.But when they started building the stadium, they never consulted us,” she said.”This is the third time we are being flooded,” said Namises.The Municipality’s Chief Executive Officer, Niilo Taapopi, told The Namibian at the scene that they would relocate the residents to a safer area, where tents would be erected for them.The Municipality will also provide them with food, since the floodwater has spoilt their food supplies.The power supply in the area was also knocked out.Residents called the Windhoek Municipality’s Emergency Unit, which started pumping the water from their homes and took the people to a community hall where they spent the night.When The Namibian visited the area yesterday, the homes were still filled with water and mud. “Our children did not even eat this morning because there is no power and there is water in the kitchen,” said Petrina Namises, a kindergarten teacher at the location, whose mother’s house was also flooded.”Everything in our house has been damaged,” she added.Her mother, Klaudia Namises, said it was not the first time that their homes were flooded and they have been appealing in vain to the Municipality to do something about the situation.Namises said the construction of the Sam Nujoma football stadium diverted the river too close to their houses.”We are not against development.But when they started building the stadium, they never consulted us,” she said.”This is the third time we are being flooded,” said Namises.The Municipality’s Chief Executive Officer, Niilo Taapopi, told The Namibian at the scene that they would relocate the residents to a safer area, where tents would be erected for them.The Municipality will also provide them with food, since the floodwater has spoilt their food supplies.