Zambezi receding but villagers still stranded

FOR the first time in two months, the Zambezi River has measured less than the corresponding level at the same time last year.

Yesterday the river, as measured at Katima Mulilo, stood at 6,56 metres – 0,6 centimetres lower than on the same day in 2003. Today marks exactly a year ago when the river peaked for 2003, at 6,64 metres.This year, the river had already reached its high, at 7,05 metres, on April 4.The Hydrology Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development expects the river to drop by at least half a metre over the next seven days as the river level in Zambia has been falling quite rapidly over the past two weeks.”While the second wave of floods has levelled off at Katima Mulilo much lower than expected, the water will continue to flow over the banks of the Zambezi River to the south and especially towards the west,” said an update from the department.It is expected that the more than 2 700 people displaced as a result of the floods will have to remain at relocation areas for at least another two months until the water subsides enough for them to return home.The Namibian Red Cross, which has played a pivotal role in relocating flood victims from the eastern Caprivi, said this week that it would scale down its staff in the region.Red Cross Team leader Abel Augustinio told The Namibian that, by the end of the week, two officials from the organisation’s regional head office in Harare, Zimbabwe, would have returned home, while five local staff would head back to Windhoek.Two officials would, however, remain in the Caprivi to monitor the situation and oversee operations.A delegation of three Deputy Permanent Secretaries, who headed relief operations in the Caprivi for three weeks under the direction of the Prime Minister’s office, also withdrew from the region this week.The responsibility has now been returned to the Governor’s office.Today marks exactly a year ago when the river peaked for 2003, at 6,64 metres.This year, the river had already reached its high, at 7,05 metres, on April 4.The Hydrology Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development expects the river to drop by at least half a metre over the next seven days as the river level in Zambia has been falling quite rapidly over the past two weeks.”While the second wave of floods has levelled off at Katima Mulilo much lower than expected, the water will continue to flow over the banks of the Zambezi River to the south and especially towards the west,” said an update from the department.It is expected that the more than 2 700 people displaced as a result of the floods will have to remain at relocation areas for at least another two months until the water subsides enough for them to return home.The Namibian Red Cross, which has played a pivotal role in relocating flood victims from the eastern Caprivi, said this week that it would scale down its staff in the region.Red Cross Team leader Abel Augustinio told The Namibian that, by the end of the week, two officials from the organisation’s regional head office in Harare, Zimbabwe, would have returned home, while five local staff would head back to Windhoek.Two officials would, however, remain in the Caprivi to monitor the situation and oversee operations.A delegation of three Deputy Permanent Secretaries, who headed relief operations in the Caprivi for three weeks under the direction of the Prime Minister’s office, also withdrew from the region this week.The responsibility has now been returned to the Governor’s office.