North West District Sub-Councils, Okavango Sub-District and Maun Administration Authority (MAA) have reported cases of disaster caused by torrential rainfall in the area.
Both chairpersons of the sub districts, Mpoke Karapo and Vepaune Moreti said houses and crops in these areas have been destroyed by the rains.
In Okavango for instance, Karapo stated that a total of one hundred and fifty households were affected.
“An assessment was conducted on nine affected villages of Shakawe, Gumare, Tubu, Ikoga, Nxamasere, Etsha 1, Etsha 13, Kauxwi and Gunotsoga to identify individual needs. A total of 150 households were affected and 20 households were identified to be in need of food rations which were supplied,” he explained.
Botswana Red Cross Society is said to have donated one hundred tents to the sub district and Karapo maintains sixty-five of them have been distributed to individuals who desperately needed shelter.
Karapo was speaking during the opening of a week long council meeting in Shakawe this week. “On another note, ploughing fields in areas of Gumare, Nokaneng, and Etsha extension area have been submerged leaving farmers with nothing to harvest. Assessment of the affected area is still ongoing to quantify the extent.”
Karapo’s counterpart in Maun, Moreti, reported a similar disaster to MAA.
In his opening remarks to the sub council, he explained that the torrential rains have destroyed thirty-nine houses in MAA, including nineteen houses in Tsau and Semboyo, eleven in Dikgathong and nine houses in Makalamabedi.
“Damages entailed collapses and some of the houses were left with severe cracks which rendered them inhabitable. Relief measures in the form of tents and food packages to the affected were offered,” he explained.
The district has been receiving heavy rainfall since mid November last year to date.
