US government donates N$5,9m for flood relief

THE United States has given Namibia US$650 000 (about N$5,9 million) for flood relief.

Overall about 350 000 Namibians are estimated to have been affected by flooding in north-central Namibia and the Kavango and Caprivi regions.An estimated 13 000 people have been displaced, and more than 9 000 are currently housed in relocation camps.Water levels in the Zambezi floodplains rose by one centimetre on Monday – to 0,98 m – at the Bukalo Bridge and the level of Lake Liambezi near Muyako rose by 13 cm between Saturday and Monday, from 2,75m to 2,89m. Meanwhile, the level of the Zambezi River level dropped by four centimetres from Sunday to Monday.Chief Hydrologist Guido van Langenhove, who is currently in the Caprivi Region, said very strong flows from the floodplains to the west continue in the Chobe River at Ngoma Gate and in the Bukalo Channel at Bukalo Bridge. These flows ultimately converge in the Lake Liambezi area and flows measured (Monday) were 50,61 cubic metres per second at Bukalo Bridge and a tremendous flow of 168,13 cubic metres per second at Ngoma Bridge.’These combined flows towards Lake Liambezi constitute about four per cent of the flow in the Zambezi River passing Katima Mulilo. This is a disaster situation requiring in the first place immediate logistics (like helicopters) and relief support,’ Van Langenhove cautioned in his daily report yesterday. The US money was donated on Monday through the US Agency for International Development’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) to Unicef and the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) to further assist flood-affected communities in Namibia, said Ray Castillo, spokesperson for the US Embassy in Namibia. The IFRC will receive US$300 000 (about N$3 million) for providing shelter and distributing basic non-food items in northern Namibia. Unicef will receive the remaining US$350 000 to fund a water, sanitation and hygiene project that will provide safe amenities for six to eight weeks to 13 000 displaced Namibians. Government, the UN and humanitarian partners estimate that the flood has affected up to 350 000 Namibians. They estimate that 13 000 Namibians are displaced, with over 9 000 currently housed in relocation camps.’Last month the US government already donated US$50 000 (about N$500 000) to the Namibian Red Cross Society to provide for health, hygiene and shelter emergency items including six boats, bringing the total assistance from the American people to the 2009 Namibian flood relief efforts to US$700 000 (about N$7 million),’ Castillo said in a statement. The US also provided assistance during the 2003 Caprivi floods and during the 2008 floods in northern Namibia.