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Rising waters spread alarm

Rising waters spread alarm

THE Regional Emergency Management Units in both the Caprivi and Kavango have been put on constant alert to monitor and assess rising river levels that could result in flooding.

In the Caprivi, crop fields in the north-east are already waterlogged, threatening food security. And in some areas children are having to travel to school by canoe.The Emergency Management Unit’s Deputy Director, Gabriel Kangowa, said on Friday: “There is already a clear indication that nothing will come from these fields”.But he says drought relief food currently being distributed should tide people over for the next few months.At present the Caprivi task force, which has to report back to head office in Windhoek every five days, has been advising people to move to higher ground.At present more than 6 000 people in four areas of the Caprivi have been identified as affected by the overflowing Zambezi.The waters have already encroached on the villages of Muzii, Malindi and Schuckmansburg; in the Kongola area overflow from the Kwando River has left fields waterlogged.Kangowa said that, while the area is not completely flooded, his unit was expecting the situation to change in the coming weeks.”We are not saying the area is submerged.Some areas are already covered.People should know what could happen.Floods can’t be ruled out.The water is moving very fast,” he said on Friday.Cabinet is expected to discuss an EMU report soon on the situation in the Caprivi, while in the Kavango officials are working on an assessment report.Last week, several lodges on the riverbanks and some fields east and west of Rundu were flooded by the Okavango River which is unusually high for this time of year.Kangowa confirmed that roads leading to some lodges had been cut off by floods.Travel by vehicle to the Rundu-Calais border post is also no longer possible.The villages of Kamutjonga in the Mukwe constituency, as well as Mayana and Sauyemwa in the Rundu rural constituency, have been flooded by the Okavango.Maize fields in the Kapako constituency and the Vungu-Vungu Agricultural Project are also waterlogged.According to Kangowa, large pools of stagnant water are the region’s greatest concern at this time.He said Government might have to look at taking preventive measures to protect residents and their livestock against disease.And in some areas children are having to travel to school by canoe. The Emergency Management Unit’s Deputy Director, Gabriel Kangowa, said on Friday: “There is already a clear indication that nothing will come from these fields”. But he says drought relief food currently being distributed should tide people over for the next few months. At present the Caprivi task force, which has to report back to head office in Windhoek every five days, has been advising people to move to higher ground. At present more than 6 000 people in four areas of the Caprivi have been identified as affected by the overflowing Zambezi. The waters have already encroached on the villages of Muzii, Malindi and Schuckmansburg; in the Kongola area overflow from the Kwando River has left fields waterlogged. Kangowa said that, while the area is not completely flooded, his unit was expecting the situation to change in the coming weeks. “We are not saying the area is submerged. Some areas are already covered. People should know what could happen. Floods can’t be ruled out. The water is moving very fast,” he said on Friday. Cabinet is expected to discuss an EMU report soon on the situation in the Caprivi, while in the Kavango officials are working on an assessment report. Last week, several lodges on the riverbanks and some fields east and west of Rundu were flooded by the Okavango River which is unusually high for this time of year. Kangowa confirmed that roads leading to some lodges had been cut off by floods. Travel by vehicle to the Rundu-Calais border post is also no longer possible. The villages of Kamutjonga in the Mukwe constituency, as well as Mayana and Sauyemwa in the Rundu rural constituency, have been flooded by the Okavango. Maize fields in the Kapako constituency and the Vungu-Vungu Agricultural Project are also waterlogged. According to Kangowa, large pools of stagnant water are the region’s greatest concern at this time. He said Government might have to look at taking preventive measures to protect residents and their livestock against disease.

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