Placido Hilukilwa
THE current flood situation in the north would change drastically should the heavy rain forecast for today and tomorrow come to pass.
According to senior hydrologist Leonard Hango, the flood water from southern Angola, that reached Namibia on 13 January, has now reached the Ondangwa-Oshakati main road in the Ongwediva constituency and continues flowing progressively to the south.
The water is heading towards Omagongati, Efidilomulunga and the surrounding villages and Hango is warning residents to beware of the flood that can reach them suddenly during the night.
“Floodwater moves faster during the night when it is cooler and there is no evaporation,” he said.
He points out that the waterhead of the floodwater that is flowing towards Oshakati has passed the bridge at Endola this morning heading to Okatana.
The flood has so far affected five constituencies in the Ohangwena Region, namely Engela, Endola, Ongenga, Ondobe and Oshikango, and one constituency (Ongwediva) in the Oshana Region.
Hango, who is also the mayor of Oshakati, said that a number of the town’s informal settlements are affected by stormwater. They are Evululuko, Okandjengedi, Onawa, Oneshila and Uupindi.
With informal settlements already flooded and with the flood water approaching from the North, Oshakati Town dwellers face a flood situation comparable only to the floodings last seen almost two decades ago.
