Emergency situation in Caprivi coming to an end

The emergency situation in the flood-ravaged Caprivi region of Namibia is expected to be over by the end of June, the International Federation of the Red Cross has said. "The floods, which displaced some 12,000 people in the Caprivi region of northeastern Namibia in the beginning of May, have finally started to subside," the Federation announced. The floods, said to be the worst in 21 years, occurred when the Zambezi River overflowed its banks after days of torrential rains. "Authorities in the region have reported that the floodwater is receding [in] most places, although a few low-lying areas are still affected to the extent that they are hard to reach. However, most places can now be accessed by road, which makes further relief distributions much easier," the NGO added. The Federation, in support of the Namibian Red Cross, had responded to the disaster by providing and procuring relief material. However, it warned that the "risk of outbreak of waterborne diseases such as malaria, cholera and diarrhoea remains high, as it may take up to three months for the pools of stagnant water to completely disappear". Malaria is endemic in the Caprivi region, and water and sanitation facilities are largely non-existent. "Most villagers use untreated river water for consumption as well as for washing and cleaning, and there are hardly any latrines available. Authorities have reported some increase in cases of diarrhoea, respiratory infections and skin rashes, although there is no indication of serious outbreak of diseases, according to reports from the Ministry of Health and Social Services," the Federation said. The government had finished its first round of food aid distributions, "but is now delivering hay to livestock as a matter of priority, as grazing land is still largely under water". "People living in areas where the water has already receded have now started reconstructing their homes, and many schools have now reopened, although some are still being used as distribution points," the Federation noted. It warned that the situation in the Caprivi remained precarious, as the area had suffered droughts and was prone to chronic food insecurity. The region also had the highest "HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in the world, with up to 50 percent of the population affected in some areas".