The Namibia Red Cross Society (NRCS) and authorities in Windhoek have commenced a flood management and support project in the city.
The project, Development Diaries gathered, is designed to support communities affected by floods, especially people living in informal settlements.
Heavy rain has reportedly affected the city since late December 2020, with the city’s government saying that emergency response teams had attended to 14 flood-related incidents.
Around 80 households, mostly in areas of Otjomuise, have been affected, and the city plans to relocate at least 65 households adversely affected by flooding.
In its response, the Icelandic Red Cross Society provided funding of N$143 000 for the project.
The project started in January in the Goreangab and Havana informal settlement areas of the Samora Machel constituency.
About 20 households in the areas are expected to benefit from the project, with sandbags provided to prevent rainwater from entering houses and barriers being built at riverbeds to direct water away from houses.
Samora Machel constituency Regional Councillor, Nestor Kalola, said the first phase of the project consisted of several activities aimed at assessing the community’s vulnerability and capacity to cope with and recover from floods.
NRCS National Board Chairperson, Rosa Persendt, said the project was designed to improve the community’s understanding and awareness of the natural and social components of floods.
According to her, the objective of the project is to bring about changes in communities’ behaviour to reduce the vulnerability of residents and their homes.
Source: Namibian
Phot source: Windhoek Municipality
