Sandstorms leave wild horses without water and causes property damage

Staff Reporter

THE unrelenting sandstorms continue to wreak havoc across the country, compromising the well-being of wild animals in some areas while causing significant property damage in others.

The impact of these sandstorms is evident in the //Kharas Region’s Garub, one of the country’s most popular tourist sites, where iconic feral horses have been without water since Tuesday. This is due to the sandstorms that have filled the horses’ water sources with sand, making it impossible for them to drink from the water points.

The Namibia Wild Horse Foundation and the Ministry of Environment, Tourism, and Forestry (MEFT) started working to empty the sand from the water points today. It has been confirmed that one waterhole has been opened at the time of publication. However, the Namibia Wild Horse Foundation still expressed concern about the damage that these sandstorms can cause to other equipment, such as the solar panels and pumps, adding that the grass in the area has already been swept away.

Garub, however, is just one of numerous areas that have been tormented by sandstorms this week. The sandstorms have also affected Lüderitz and its surrounding areas, leaving the road to and from the southern coastal town covered in sand and difficult to traverse. Additionally, the unprecedented sandstorms have also led to the deaths of ostriches near the coastal town. Earlier in the day, Informanté shared a video capturing this unfortunate event.

While the persistent sandstorms have undeniably had a severe impact on the //Kharas Region, their destructive effects have extended beyond the southern region, affecting numerous other areas as well. This includes the Sesfontein Constituency in the Kunene Region, where several properties have recently been damaged by these devastating sandstorms.

According to the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology’s (MICT) Regional Office in the Kunene Region, the ongoing sandstorms have resulted in approximately 27 houses and businesses in Warmquella and surrounding areas in the Sesfontein Constituency being left roofless and with collapsed walls.

In light of this situation, MICT’s Kunene Regional Offices have urged individuals to take necessary precautions to ensure their safety. This includes wearing masks during severe sandstorms and exercising caution when travelling on roads with poor visibility.