NAMIBIA: Caprivi flood warning issued

JOHANNESBURG, 18 Feb 2005 (IRIN) - Namibia's Emergency Management Unit (EMU) on Friday reissued an appeal to residents living along the Zambezi river in northeastern Caprivi to evacuate the area after reports that the water was rising.

"The latest indications show that the water level in the river is increasing extremely fast. As of this morning (Friday) it stood at 1.87 m, compared to 2.11m on the same day last year [when the area experienced flooding]. We expect that by next week it will probably reach 1.9m or even 2m," EMU deputy director, Gabriel Kangowa, told IRIN.

He said the EMU had issued a warning to residents of flood-prone areas to move to higher ground. Last year, large portions of eastern Caprivi were submerged in the worst floods since 1958, reportedly affecting 50,000 people.

"This time around we have a solid contingency plan in place, but we do hope that people will relocate voluntarily. We understand that it is difficult for families to move their entire households, but in this case there isn't any other option," Kangowa explained.

He pointed out that floodwater had already entered parts of the Kabbe constituency in eastern Caprivi, cutting the road to the local primary school.

An estimated 10,000 residents were evacuated and relocated to five evacuation camps last year: Lusese A and B, Schukmannsburg, Impalila and Kasika in eastern part of the region. Flood victims remained in the camps from March until August 2004, when it was safe to return to their villages.

This year the EMU has planned to establish four additional camps to cope with the influx.

"Last year we were caught a bit off-guard, but we cannot afford to take a chance this time. So far we have already checked the ... water tanks and they are still in good condition, and so is the water pipe we used last year. As from next week, the EMU will start pre-positioning basic supplies in Katima Mulilo [the regional capital]," Kangowa explained.

Forty people, including community members, have been identified to undergo preparedness training, in case the flood-prone region should be inundated. The group undergoing training from the second week of March includes 12 nurses, 10 truck drivers and six boat pilots.

The Zambezi, the longest river in Southern Africa, rises in northwestern Zambia and flows along the eastern edge of Namibia's Caprivi Strip, from where it demarcates the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe before continuing through Mozambique to the Indian Ocean.

[ENDS]