Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Floods... In The Desert?

Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.usIn a sign of just what an abnormal summer we are having here, there was major flooding last weekend when one of the two major dams in Namibia had to be opened before it overflowed, flooding the towns downstream.

Some try to blame the water company for opening the dams and thus devastating these towns, but things would have been much worse if they had let the dams overflow and wash out. 
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The last time Namibia saw such floods was 2000, when more than N$20 Million of insurance claims were made for repairs.  This time is expected to be worse.

To further complicate the issue, last weekend was a home weekend for all hostels.  Anyone who traveled south to go home was trapped by the flood waters.  Many schools just north of the floods have many learners not present.  All the schools in the affected towns are closed, some may be closed for some time while damages are repaired.

As all floods do, tangent problems have cropped up.  Sewage has been seeping into drinking water, washed out roads affect distribution for gas and groceries, and insurance companies are already talking about bankruptcy.  The police are trying to maintain order while search and rescue crews look for survivors.  The electricity is expected to be off for a week or more while power lines are replaced.  It's a mess.

I see the local affects of flooding every time it rains here in Katatura.  The rivers and storm drains fill almost instantly, making them impassable after just ten minutes of hard rain.  Most live above the flood plain, which is small here due to the numerous hills, but inevitably every rain brings floods that destroy houses.  I can only imagine what it looks like in Mariantel, one of the cities most affected by the flooding.[/cut]

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