Flood-ravaged town slowly back to normal

THE Chief Executive Officer of Mariental, Paul Nghiwilepo, yesterday expressed satisfaction with the state of affairs at the town following last weekend’s devastating flood.

“Things are taking direction and the condition at the town has normalised,” he said. But Nghiwilepo said many residents had not yet returned to their homes.Many still live with family and friends, while others are staying at temporary shelters provided by the Town Council, he said.The electricity supply to the western part of town that bore the brunt of the flood was restored yesterday, he said.Nghiwilepo said contaminated water was still a problem because of flood damage to the pipelines from the town’s main reservoir to the residential areas.Municipal workers were flushing out the pipes in an effort to solve the problem, he said.The Chief Executive Officer said a team of experts sent by the line ministry was expected at Mariental today to make a full assessment of the situation.The team would also look at how to improve the town’s flood-emergency plan.Nghiwilepo said the Town Council did not know how to apply the N$10 million released by Government for the reconstruction of the town.”We hope the ministerial delegation would provide us with guidelines upon their arrival today on how to apply the Government contribution,” he said.But Hardap Governor Katrina Hanse yesterday told The Namibian that the N$10 million would be used to rehabilitate the town’s damage infrastructure.She also expressed satisfaction with the situation at the town.”I’m satisfied with the direction things are taking after the recent flood,” she said.Hanse said it was undeniable that the flood was severe, but she felt a potentially catastrophic situation had been averted.She said only three cases of diarrhoea caused by contaminated water had been reported.Namibian Defence Force and Special Field Force members would remain deployed at the town, despite complaints of alleged assaults on people in the Aimablaagte residential area, Nghiwilepo said.But Nghiwilepo said many residents had not yet returned to their homes.Many still live with family and friends, while others are staying at temporary shelters provided by the Town Council, he said.The electricity supply to the western part of town that bore the brunt of the flood was restored yesterday, he said.Nghiwilepo said contaminated water was still a problem because of flood damage to the pipelines from the town’s main reservoir to the residential areas.Municipal workers were flushing out the pipes in an effort to solve the problem, he said.The Chief Executive Officer said a team of experts sent by the line ministry was expected at Mariental today to make a full assessment of the situation.The team would also look at how to improve the town’s flood-emergency plan.Nghiwilepo said the Town Council did not know how to apply the N$10 million released by Government for the reconstruction of the town.”We hope the ministerial delegation would provide us with guidelines upon their arrival today on how to apply the Government contribution,” he said.But Hardap Governor Katrina Hanse yesterday told The Namibian that the N$10 million would be used to rehabilitate the town’s damage infrastructure.She also expressed satisfaction with the situation at the town.”I’m satisfied with the direction things are taking after the recent flood,” she said.Hanse said it was undeniable that the flood was severe, but she felt a potentially catastrophic situation had been averted.She said only three cases of diarrhoea caused by contaminated water had been reported.Namibian Defence Force and Special Field Force members would remain deployed at the town, despite complaints of alleged assaults on people in the Aimablaagte residential area, Nghiwilepo said.