Over 9 000 remain displaced in Caprivi

RELOCATION centres for Caprivi flood victims are now accommodating more than 9 000 people.

With the Zambezi River still more than four metres deep, it will be several weeks before they are able to return to their homes. In its monthly report for May, the emergency task force team indicates that some 2 025 households, consisting of 9 357 people, are being accommodated at reception centres.Most of them were forced from their homes in April when the river peaked at a record seven metres.The largest number of people – 4 807 – are living at two camps at Lusese, while 2 072 others have moved to Impalila and Kasika.Some 1 640 people are reported to be staying in the upper-lying areas of Schuckmannsburg, 498 at Lisikili and 300 at Imukusi.The health of people accommodated in the camps has been described as good.Nurses stationed at the camps have been attending to minor illnesses.”Cases of malaria, due to mosquito bites, have been reported at Mahundu, where the community reported two deaths,” said the report.Five of the six schools closed during the height of the floods in April remain closed and children are being taught at the various reception centres.The school at Ivilivinzi was, however, allowed to re-open last week for the start of the new semester.With the waters having destroyed much of the crop fields in the low-lying areas of the eastern Caprivi and also in the south as the water streams to Lake Liambezi, officials are trying to save what is left.The progress report notes that funding was still being awaited to purchase ten boats from Zambia for harvesting.Crops in the lake area, which were expected to contribute to a bumper harvest for the region this year, have also largely been destroyed.The report notes that farmers at Mahundu and Ibbu will still be able to rescue agricultural produce growing on little islands in the river.They will, however, need transport to be able to do so.In its monthly report for May, the emergency task force team indicates that some 2 025 households, consisting of 9 357 people, are being accommodated at reception centres.Most of them were forced from their homes in April when the river peaked at a record seven metres.The largest number of people – 4 807 – are living at two camps at Lusese, while 2 072 others have moved to Impalila and Kasika.Some 1 640 people are reported to be staying in the upper-lying areas of Schuckmannsburg, 498 at Lisikili and 300 at Imukusi.The health of people accommodated in the camps has been described as good.Nurses stationed at the camps have been attending to minor illnesses.”Cases of malaria, due to mosquito bites, have been reported at Mahundu, where the community reported two deaths,” said the report.Five of the six schools closed during the height of the floods in April remain closed and children are being taught at the various reception centres.The school at Ivilivinzi was, however, allowed to re-open last week for the start of the new semester.With the waters having destroyed much of the crop fields in the low-lying areas of the eastern Caprivi and also in the south as the water streams to Lake Liambezi, officials are trying to save what is left.The progress report notes that funding was still being awaited to purchase ten boats from Zambia for harvesting.Crops in the lake area, which were expected to contribute to a bumper harvest for the region this year, have also largely been destroyed.The report notes that farmers at Mahundu and Ibbu will still be able to rescue agricultural produce growing on little islands in the river.They will, however, need transport to be able to do so.