OMUTHIYA: Omuthiya Town Council (OTC) spokesperson, Ottilie Shingenge, is urging residents of Omuthiya who have been adversely affected by a recent thunderstorm to contact them for any assistance needed.

Shingenge made this statement in an interview with Nampa on Wednesday, following their assessment of the damage caused by the thunderstorm to eight residents within the town.

Despite the town having insufficient budgetary provisions for addressing damages caused by natural disasters, Shingenge emphasised that they are committed to providing emotional support and temporary accommodation to those in need.

‘We have a limited budget, so we cannot cover the damages caused by this thunderstorm, but we can offer emotional support and temporary accommodation,’ she said.

Shingenge highlighted that certain house structures, particularly in locations such as the Kaniita informal settlement, were damaged by the catastrophic natural disaster that occurred on Monday and Tuesday.

‘We advise people who have trees within
their compound to cut off limping branches or trim them properly before they cause harm during strong winds.’

Furthermore, Shingenge emphasised the importance of remaining vigilant regarding the condition of trees in the vicinity to prevent them from falling onto structures. She said this in reference to an incident on Monday night, when a 61-year-old resident, Ananias Martin, from the Kaniita informal settlement had his home structure swept away by a thunderstorm at around 22h00.

Recounting the incident, Martin expressed his devastation at being abruptly awakened by heavy rain and wind. He described the ordeal as horrific, mentioning that he sustained injuries to his head from objects within his structure.

‘I managed to escape as I ran to my neighbours to accommodate me, but everything was swept away by water,’ said Martin, adding that with the assistance of OTC and neighbours, he was able to successfully reconstruct his room on Tuesday.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency