City receives 42 flooding reports
NAMPA
WINDHOEK
The City of Windhoek has attended to 42 notifications of flooding from various areas of the capital between 30 December 2020 and 13 January 2021.
In a media statement, spokesperson Lydia Amutenya said requests from residents in these instances varied from pumping out water and unblocking drainage systems to clearing channels and sandbagging, as well as closing river crossings.
She said flash floods over this period damaged properties and infrastructure around the capital, but fortunately no flood-related injuries or fatalities were reported.
“The preliminary reports indicate that in Samora Machel constituency, 71 households residing in informal dwellings in riverbanks were identified to be at high risk and were advised to move to higher ground. In Windhoek Rural, 91 informal structures were identified,” she said.
Only the beginning
The average rainfall from 30 December 2020 to 13 January 2021 in Windhoek was between 45mm and 60 mm in short periods, which was higher than usual, causing a higher flow or overflow of water in the City’s established watercourse, Amutenya added.
“It should be noted that we are still at the beginning of the rainy season and thus the exact impact and damage to residences and public infrastructure such as roads and bridges will only be known after the end of the rainy season.
“The City is continually issuing flood alerts, engaging affected communities in the informal settlements to move from the riverbanks and advising residents on possible mitigation strategies they can employ to lessen the impact of the floods such as sandbagging,” she said.
WINDHOEK
The City of Windhoek has attended to 42 notifications of flooding from various areas of the capital between 30 December 2020 and 13 January 2021.
In a media statement, spokesperson Lydia Amutenya said requests from residents in these instances varied from pumping out water and unblocking drainage systems to clearing channels and sandbagging, as well as closing river crossings.
She said flash floods over this period damaged properties and infrastructure around the capital, but fortunately no flood-related injuries or fatalities were reported.
“The preliminary reports indicate that in Samora Machel constituency, 71 households residing in informal dwellings in riverbanks were identified to be at high risk and were advised to move to higher ground. In Windhoek Rural, 91 informal structures were identified,” she said.
Only the beginning
The average rainfall from 30 December 2020 to 13 January 2021 in Windhoek was between 45mm and 60 mm in short periods, which was higher than usual, causing a higher flow or overflow of water in the City’s established watercourse, Amutenya added.
“It should be noted that we are still at the beginning of the rainy season and thus the exact impact and damage to residences and public infrastructure such as roads and bridges will only be known after the end of the rainy season.
“The City is continually issuing flood alerts, engaging affected communities in the informal settlements to move from the riverbanks and advising residents on possible mitigation strategies they can employ to lessen the impact of the floods such as sandbagging,” she said.
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