Mariental braces for another flood

THE Mariental Municipality’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Alex Boois, says the town is preparing itself for a repeat of last year’s devastating flood.

Boois yesterday told The Namibian that the municipality is setting up a toll-free ‘flood line’ that people can call to find out if their homes are in imminent danger of flooding. “The flood line would be set up to give people as much notice as possible and to encourage them to take action to protect their most precious possessions,” Boois said.He said residents would also be alerted through bulk SMS messages on their cellphones about water inflow into the Hardap Dam.Homes located on the western side of the town could be at risk of floods if there is a repeat of last February’s heavy rain.Last year, the town was plunged into turmoil when the Hardap Dam’s sluices were fully opened to discharge water from the dam after it reached an alarming 110 per cent of full capacity after heavy rains in its catchment area.Boois expressed concern over the reeds growing in the Fish River, saying nothing had been done to clean the riverbed.The reeds obstruct the outflow of water from the dam and increase the threat of flooding, as the Fish River can only cope with only 500 cubic metres of water, he said.”But, according to the Mariental Flood Task Force, clearing the reeds within the river is not an option for preventing a flood at the town,” Boois said.He said the decision by the Namibia Insurers’ Association (NIA) not to cover any flood damage in the town also remained a concern.After last year’s floods, the NIA announced it had decided not to cover any future losses resulting from flooding of properties situated downstream of the Hardap Dam and the lower Fish River.The decision followed massive flood-associated losses of more than N$100 million in the Mariental area.”The flood line would be set up to give people as much notice as possible and to encourage them to take action to protect their most precious possessions,” Boois said.He said residents would also be alerted through bulk SMS messages on their cellphones about water inflow into the Hardap Dam.Homes located on the western side of the town could be at risk of floods if there is a repeat of last February’s heavy rain.Last year, the town was plunged into turmoil when the Hardap Dam’s sluices were fully opened to discharge water from the dam after it reached an alarming 110 per cent of full capacity after heavy rains in its catchment area.Boois expressed concern over the reeds growing in the Fish River, saying nothing had been done to clean the riverbed.The reeds obstruct the outflow of water from the dam and increase the threat of flooding, as the Fish River can only cope with only 500 cubic metres of water, he said.”But, according to the Mariental Flood Task Force, clearing the reeds within the river is not an option for preventing a flood at the town,” Boois said.He said the decision by the Namibia Insurers’ Association (NIA) not to cover any flood damage in the town also remained a concern.After last year’s floods, the NIA announced it had decided not to cover any future losses resulting from flooding of properties situated downstream of the Hardap Dam and the lower Fish River.The decision followed massive flood-associated losses of more than N$100 million in the Mariental area.