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The Current situation in Caprivi Region
The current situation in the thirty one (31) camps established in both the Katima Mulilo rural and Kabbe constituencies where the flood victims are camping is stable and calm. The affected communities continue receiving assistance from the Namibia Red Cross Society, the Regional Government in Katima Mulilo, UNICEF and other stakeholders participating in the operation. However, the natural phenomena is fluctuating and in certain areas the water is subsiding while it is rising in other places like the Kwando, Zambezi and Chobe rivers. This is a result of the water that is still flowing from Angola and Zambia following the Zambezi river, causing flooding in these areas that are along these rivers. According to the latest assessments, in most areas from which people were evacuated, there is still water logged up to 3.5 metres high levels. Properties including fields and houses are still submerged in water and are further being weakened by continued presence of water. It is anticipated that flood victims in Caprivi region can only return back to their villages beginning of August /September. They can only return to their localities at that time because returning earlier than May, June or July is not possible since the water levels is still high, though the flooded areas would have started drying out but not dry enough to facilitate return as most roads will still be wet and muddy.
NRCS ACTION
In order to ensure rapid response to the community in the camps in the area of water and sanitation and hygiene promotion and reduce human suffering among the relocated people in camps, the NRCS has received a group of experts from the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) from Spanish and British Red Cross who have been deployed to the Caprivi Region in an effort to address the serious water and sanitation problems facing the communities relocated in the camps. The deployment was made possible by British Red Cross and Spanish Red Cross. The ERU team is comprised of Mr Jorge Durand Zurdo team leader from Spanish Red Cross Society, Catherine Stephen from British Red Cross and Mr Eastwood Wardell from Irish Red Cross. The other two members of staff came from Harare IFRC country representative office. The team has started with the immediate construction of latrines in some camps that have been identified as priority. The foreign experts will further give technical support through an integrated response to hygiene and sanitation problems in the affected camps. In addition to the ERU team, NRCS has also received Ms Teopolina Haitembu, a gender coordinator who will facilitate and coordinate the implementation of gender programmes in the flood affected areas. Haitembu will address gender based violence as well as reproductive health to the affected people in the camps. She will be stationed in Kavango region and also operate in Caprivi region. The appointment of the gender coordinator was made possible by NRCS in collaboration with UNFPA.
NEEDS REMAIN
The operation is expected to last for the next six months and NRCS will be involved in the operation. NRSC will welcome and appreciate the continued support of the Namibian nation in improving the lives of the most vulnerable members of our society.
To donate to the Namibia Red Cross Society floods appeal
Further information contact: Saara Mbiliyetu
Iipinge, NRCS Communications officer @ 0812072765 |
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