by Staff Reporter
WINDHOEK - Communities living along the Kavango River have been urged to move to higher ground, as there are fears the region might experience floods again.
According to Nampa, NamWater's artisan in the Kavango Region, Likoro Godfried, said considering the rapid rise of the water level, there is likelihood that the region might experience floods again this year.
Consequently, Councillor for the Kahenge constituency, Joseph Sikongo, has urged residents living close to the river to relocate to higher grounds now, and not to wait until the water reaches their homes.
He also advised parents not to send their children to fetch water from the river, as the water is rising and hippos and crocodiles could easily attack them. Floods in the Kavango Region last year affected over 7 000 inhabitants who were accommodated in 27 flood camps.
The Kavango River level continues to rise since the onset of the rainy season.
Saturday's daily flood report from the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry said on Saturday afternoon the river stood at 6.54 m, three centimetres up since Saturday morning. The same time last year, the Kavango River level stood at 5.50 m.
The normal for January 16 is 4.64 m.
The report said the Kavango River is still rapidly rising at Rundu with more readings from Menongue indicating that water levels were slightly going down there yesterday, but satellite images showed more rains in the area overnight.
Meanwhile, the Meteorological Office at Hosea Kutako International Airport said showers and thundershower activities are expected to continue over the country today excluding the extreme south-west.
On Thursday last week, Mariental received the highest rainfall of 54 mm, followed by Nkurenkuru with 22 mm, Otjiwarongo 12.6 mm, Academia 12.0 mm and Windhoek weather office 10.6 mm.
On Friday Hosea Kutako International Airport recorded 4 mm of rainfall while the Windhoek weather office received 0.2 mm and Gobabis 0.6 mm.
And on Saturday, rainfall was recorded in many areas with Hochfeld receiving 40 mm.
Otjinene received 27.5 mm, Farm Goede Moed (north-east of Hosea Kutako International Airport) received 20 mm, Summerdown between 10 mm and 20 mm, Hosea Kutako International Airport 12.6 mm, Windhoek weather office 10.2 mm and Rundu 10.5 mm.
Grootfontein reported 5.1 mm, Suiderhof 4 mm and Buitepos 1.3 mm, while Gobabis received 1.3 mm and 0.6 mm respectively.