Flood warning for central and northern regions

HEAVY rains are expected to fall over the northern and central parts of Namibia today and tomorrow, raising the possibility of flash floods occurring in these areas, the Meteorological Service of Namibia warned yesterday.

People in the northern Namibia and in the Khomas Region should brace themselves for heavy rains today and tomorrow, according to a forecast issued by the Met Office in Windhoek.Met Office forecaster Olga Tjiueza told The Namibian that the heavy rains – measuring more than 50 millimetres over a 24-hour period – are expected to fall over the northern and central parts of Namibia until Thursday, by when the weather system causing the rainfall is expected to start to weaken again.The Meteorological Service also warned that with widespread rain expected in the northern half of the country and over central areas, flash floods are likely to occur this week.The rains are the result of a low-pressure system in the northern part of Namibia and a high-pressure system to the south-east, Tjiueza said. These systems are expected to weaken towards the end of the week, she said.Moderate rainfall was recorded over a large part of Namibia during the 24 hours up to yesterday morning.At Katima Mulilo, 4 mm of rain was measured up to yesterday morning, with 14,5 mm measured at Rundu, 0,4 mm at Ondangwa, 1,3 mm at Okaukuejo, 2,1 mm at Outjo, 5,9 mm at Okakarara, 14,6 mm at Otjiwarongo, 4,3 mm at the Windhoek Met Office, 20,8 mm in Eros Park in Windhoek, 8,4 mm at Rehoboth and 3,2 mm at Mariental.