- The Zambezi River is rising rapidly and is already flooding even worse than last year, when 12,000 people were displaced. The far eastern Caprivi province of Namibia is worst hit and humanitarian organisations expect they need to assist some 50,000 affected people during the next months.
According to reports from the World Food Programme (WFP) today, the water level in Zambezi River has been steadily rising to the point where it has overflowed its banks and is "expected to result in a major flood, exceeding that of 2003."
As of 31 March, the Zambezi's water level in Namibia stood at 6.7 meters compared to a level of 4.15 meters in March 2003. Namibian hydrology authorities' records indicate that the water level continue increasing at a rate of some 10-15 cm per day. The water levels usually peak around the end of April. According to Namibian authorities, two people have already died as a result of the floods.
Several villages have already been submerged and many families have been affected. The hardest hit constituency - Kabbe - has reported that 15 out of 18 schools are now inaccessible. A rapid assessment team from several UN agencies and Namibian government officials is currently assessing the situation.
The mighty Zambezi River originates in the highlands of Angola and Zambia, from where it flows into Namibia's Caprivi Strip, through the borders between Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe, before reaching Mozambique where it finally empties into the Indian Ocean.
The plains of the Caprivi and neighbouring territories in Botswana and Zambia are the most flood-prone stretches of the Zambezi. According the international Red Cross, localised floods have been reported in Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, but the greatest current concern is in the Caprivi Strip. Local authorities report to be hit by the worst floods in the area since 1958.
Local authorities and humanitarian organisation therefore are preparing for a worst case scenario. The Namibian Red Cross expects some 50,000 persons to become victimised by the floods. The first mass displacements are already registered.
- Those affected have been shifting their belongings from flooded areas to higher ground, the Red Cross reports from Caprivi. "There is limited shelter currently available for these families, who are temporarily settling in the open, underneath trees, with limited protection from the heavy rains."
One major concern is the health situation, which rapidly can get out of control. The HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in the area is said to be 43 percent. "There is a significant fear that contamination of water sources will provoke an outbreak of water borne diseases and malaria, deepening the vulnerability of people living with HIV/AIDS in the area," the Red Cross warns. "It is imperative that the affected people maintain access to clean water, blankets and protection from mosquitoes."
Most of the population of the area rely on subsistence farming, and chronic food insecurity prevails in the region. The flooding however also is reported to threaten this year's harvest. According to the Namibia Red Cross, the water continues to rise even in areas that don't normally experience flooding.
Responding to a request from the local Red Cross, the international Red Cross and Red Crescent Federation yesterday launched an urgent preliminary appeal "to deliver immediate assistance to those most in need."
- As more rains and flooding are expected in the coming days and weeks, there is an urgent need for the following additional emergency relief supplies to respond to the needs of some 50,000 people affected by the floods, the international aid appeal said. As a first measure, some 12,000 blankets were urgently needed, the Red Cross added.
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