Drownings on the increase

HEAVY rains over the weekend have flooded rivers and Oshanas inthe North bringing fresh fears of loss of life through drowning.

Ohangwena Police Deputy Commissioner Abner Agas has appealed to parents to take care of the children and avoid wading through the water, especially at night. This warning was issued in the wake of two drownings reported in the region over the weekend. Oshana Police Regional Commander, Commissioner Ndahangwapo Kashihakumwa expressed the same concern to the Daily Sun, saying 21 people have drowned since January in his region. Meanwhile at Eembo Village in the Ohangwena Region, a two-year-old died after he drowned in a water pond.

There is no exact details of what could have caused the drowning on 20 March at around 18H00. In another incident, a 63-year-old woman who was reported missing on Saturday, was discovered dead from drowning the following day. The incident happened at Omahenge Village in Ohangwena region. Hendrina Kwadja Omunu was allegedly crossing the Oshana from the cuca shops that evening and allegedly lost her path home and walked into the deep waters and drowned. A decomposed body was discovered at the Okafa Kushongo village at Outapi on Tuesday.

The deceased, Nanteni Edward, 51, from Okaungu Diya village, is also thought to have drowned since she was also reported missing since March 11 but there was no trace of her. Commissioner Kashihakumwa yesterday conducted spot-checks of the rising flood at Elim, Ompundja and the Oshigambo areas. He said that the area that is most affected by floods in the Oshana Region is Omusimboti where roads have been completely washed away. Omusati Regional Governor Sophia Shaningwa said no incident of drowning has been report as yet, but that villagers, especially at the Etayi Constituency, need medical supplies.

“As I am talking to you now, I am driving to Etayi to see my people there. We have already supplied water purification tablets but people there need medical attention”, Shaningwa said. “You can imagine that people don’t even have places to relieve themselves”, she added.

The Director of the Emergency Management Unit (EMU) in the Office of the Prime Minister, Japhet Itenge, refused to talk to the Daily Sun when contacted for an update yesterday. “You are looking for news. We are in a water crisis meeting so we cannot talk now”, Ithenge said before he hung up the phone. According to Agas, many rivers and Oshanas all over the region are at flood levels as the water keeps rising continuously. Heavy rains pounded the regions of Oshana, Omusati and Ohangwena throughout the weekend leaving homes and fields of Mahangu completely submerged under water. All over the Oshanas, both adults and children could be spotted crossing the flooded pans to get to the roads. “Parents should not allow children to go and play alone in the Oshana’s at this time.

It has become a problem to cross the water now, especially in the evenings, as one can miss the roads. The visits to the cuca shops and shebeens are now dangerous, especially at night. A person comes from drinking and goes through the Oshana to get home, how will they see the path when it is under water. To avoid death by drowning we should really take care,” warned Agas. Meanwhile the number of people that are affected by floods in Oshana has increased to 1102 with up to 336 families relocated to the Flood Reception Centers at Ekuku and Oshoopala locations at Oshakati.

According to the Oshakati Town Council, the situation has gotten critical though still under control. Vehicles packed with household belongings such as beds can be spotted along the roads from Oneshila at Oshakati as people relocate to the flood reception areas.

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