Martin Endjala
The Windhoek Meteorological Weather Station is alerting the public through the Ministry of Works and Transport to take precautionary measures with widespread heavy rainstorms of more than 50 millimeters expected in various places over the Northern Eastern half, Central and Southern regions of the country.
Chief Meteorological Officer, Odillo Kgobetsi, stresses that tropical depression will cause and continue with significant rainfall in the the regions of Zambezi, Kavango East, Kavango West, Ohangwena, Otjozondjupa, Kohmas, Hardap and Karas.
The City of Windhoek Corporate Communications Marketing Officer, Harold Awkenye, is reassuring residents that the City of Windhoek is ready in case of any flash floods. “Whether we get alert notifications or not, the City of Windhoek has always measures put in place for any situation”. He informs that the city has moved residents to high grounds away from the riverbeds, and those that are still settling in riverbeds, were identified and warned accordingly not to, while the city continues to move people.
Akwenyem remembers a sad event of a baby that was washed away by flash floods three years ago, adamantly insisting, “We do not want to lose any lives of our residents or any person for that matter in the country. Those who were moved to high grounds, were given temporarily tents.
The city of Windhoek will continue monitoring the situation, and “those that are assumed to be still living in riverbeds, should take the necessary measures to mitigate flash floods from damaging their homes and contacting the emergency numbers” he determines.
“Wind will be moderate to strong, and wind are expected over the interior” alerts the weather forecast statement from the Meteorological Service.
