Floods drive queen from her palace

THE shocking extent of this year’s flooding and inundations in the North is emerging, as heavy rains continue to pound the area, further worsening the situation. Meanwhile, a source in the Traditional Authority of Oukwanyama in the Ohangwena Region told Daily Sun that all access roads to the palace of Queen Martha Mwadinomho were washed away.

“Even the palace itself is inundated and Queen Mwadinomho will be evacuated shortly to her private house in the Okambebe Village in the Omusati Region,” said one of the Queens’ confidants, Simon Moses. This year’s floods in the Cuvelai had already been described as worse than that of 2009, with infrastructure such as roads, railways and even buildings feeling the impact of the flood waters. Businesses are flooded in Oshakati and owners are starting to evacuate their goods from the buildings.

The planned railway line between Ondangwa to Oshikango is washed away where it runs under the Omafo-Engela road in the Helao Nafidi town. In the town, flood-waters rose to such an extent that it is now flowing over the Engela Bridge.Heavy rainfall continued to fall in the Cuvelai system and also north of the border. At Okongo 62,3mm was measured, Oshakati 25,4mm and Ondangwa 12,4mm.

Elsewhere, a heavy truck got stuck along the Ondangwa-Oshikango Road, directly opposite the Onhuno weighbridge, demonstrating once again the risk of getting off the road in the North during this time of the year. Meanwhile, the Town Council of Oshakati has finally admitted that the dykes of sand it erected around some informal settlements in an apparent attempt to prevent the flood from entering residential areas, only served to further complicate the situation. “We were caught with our pants down,” said Kuutumbeni Kathindi, the Mayor of Oshakati. He said a team of experts is needed to assist the Town Council to come up with a plan that would permanently address the reoccurring floods in the town.

With residents still streaming out of the flooded suburbs, the number of residents in the two relocations centres of Oshakati rose from 896 to 1 102 in just two days. This information was revealed on Tuesday morning at a ceremony at the Regional Council offices where Omhalanga Meals donated 200 10kg bags of maize meal to Lot Kuushomwa, the Chairman of the Oshana Regional Council.

click to enlarge NO RESPITE: Flooded businesses in the main Street of Oshakati © Photo: PLACIDO HILUKILWA