Another wet weekend forecast

HEAVY rains continue to fall in northern Namibia, where several gravel roads have been washed away.

Residents of Outapi in the Omusati Region woke up to a rain-battered town yesterday morning after 79,7 millimetres of rain were received overnight.Outapi was already cut off from Okalongo last week when the road between the two towns was washed away. Oshikuku in the Omusati Region measured 14 mm yesterday morning. Heavy rains in the North have caused many problems, ranging from people unable to reach towns to buy goods or get medical attention to children not being able to get to school.The distribution of pensions at some pay points has been suspended because distributors are unable to get there. Drought food aid distributors also cannot get to villages because of damaged roads and flooded oshanas. Yesterday morning, 24,2 mm was recorded at Ondangwa Airport while Okongo in the Omusati Region measured 20,8 mm, according to the Windhoek Weather Bureau.The heavy rains are countrywide. Keetmanshoop recorded 50,3 mm yesterday morning. Weatherman Simon Dirkse says there is a 60 per cent chance of rain in north-western and central Namibia today and over the weekend.’The rest will receive showers and isolated thundershowers. They have a 40 per cent chance of rainfall,’ said Dirkse.