FLOOD waters that arrived in the Ohangwena region about two weeks ago have claimed one life.
This was revealed by the Ohangwena chief regional officer, Fillipus Shilongo, yesterday at Oshikango while submitting a report to the prime minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila on the flood situation in the region.
"On a sad note, one person died by drowning on Sunday. I tried to get more information on the issue, but I was not told whether the body was retrieved. Since the efundja arrived, we also received a report that a child was bitten by a snake while crossing a flooded stream. This is becoming sensitive and dangerous," Shilongo said.
The regional officer said so far 364 households have been severely affected by floodwater in the region.
The region has set up four tents, with three at Oshikango constituency and one at Ohangwena constituency.
They are at Onamhinda village, Oshikango extension 7 open area behind Puma Service Station at Oshikango and at Onamukalo village.
At Onamhinda relocation centre, there are 10 households, with 56 people at the campsite. At an open space behind Puma Service Station at Oshikango, there are four households, with 60 people residing there.
So far, 14 households have been affected, with some not yet counted, while 116 people have been relocated so far.
The Office of the Prime Minister has given the Ohangwena Regional Council flood relief comprising 82 blankets, 100 bags of mahangu flour (12,5 kg), 100 bottles of cooking oil, 10 800 tins of fish, 100 mosquito nets, 93 mattresses and 15 tents.
More than 8 600 pupils from 22 schools in the Ohangwena region are affected by floods, which forced 3 651 pupils to stop going to school. This was announced by Ohangwena chief regional officer Fillipus Shilongo at Oshikango yesterday.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, accompanied by the minister in the Office of the Presidency, Christine //Hoabes, undertook a one-day visit to assess the flood situation in the affected regions.
The prime minister also went to Angola to see where the flood waters are coming from.
"We have noted with concern that many households and public facilities as well as private businesses are under water," Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said.
She added that she also learned that the life of a young person was lost.
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"We are also concerned that social facilities such as schools and clinics are submerged and there is likely to be a negative impact on the harvests in flooded areas," she added.
According to the prime minister, harvests from last year might also be damaged as houses are under water.
"So the support that they will need will not only be for this year, but also to include the lost harvests from last year," Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said there will be a need for a continuous relocation of people to avoid losing lives.
"We are in solidarity with those that are affected and they must remain strong. We have started with the assistance and there will be assistance from other community members," she said.
The prime minister urged people to relocate to higher ground since the government wants to make sure this should be the last time people are experiencing cases of this nature.
"We also call upon different stakeholders to come on board to help the government in assisting the affected people. We are also making provisions to make sure that access to schools is not hindered," she added.
Ohangwena health director John Hango said many people are unable to access health services.
"Our regional outreach programmes have also stopped because vehicles cannot cross the streams. Many clinics are inaccessible and some are only accessible from the main road. People find it difficult," Hango said.
He said, as a directorate, they will set up a camp to assist people as cholera might strike.
