Africa-Press – Namibia. The City of Windhoek, in collaboration with Santam Namibia, unveiled flood warning and depth marker signs on Monday to improve public safety at high-risk river crossings throughout Windhoek.
Speaking at the event, Windhoek mayor Ndeshihafela Larandja said the signs mark a proactive approach to community education.
“Through these billboards, we aim to raise awareness of the causes, impacts and preventive measures related to fire and floods. Empowering our citizens with knowledge is one of the most effective ways to reduce risk and promote resilience,” she said.
She said the initiative is a continued effort to build a safer, more resilient, and better-prepared capital, and a symbol of a shared commitment to protecting lives, property, and livelihoods.
Larandja urged the public to refrain from vandalising the warning signs.
Santam Namibia chief executive Franco Feris said the insurance company has committed N$150 000 to the installation of critical warning and depth marker signage across flood-prone areas in Windhoek.
The newly installed signs will serve as a visible reminder of these risks, particularly at the city’s most flood-prone hotspots such as Arebbusch Street at Cimbebasia, Pelican Street at Hochland Park, Nelson Mandela Avenue at Eros, Metje Street at Eros, Erosweg, and Salem Street at Dolam, among others.
Each identified site, he said, “will feature stacked warning signs and water depth markers designed to be highly visible and weather-resistant, helping to alert motorists and pedestrians when riverbeds become unsafe to cross, and ensuring that lives are saved during the rainy season”.
He said Namibia’s risk landscape has evolved, creating risk to pedestrians and vehicle drivers, and the initiative is a visible reminder of this.
“Shifting climate patterns and rapid urbanisation have significantly increased the frequency and intensity of flash floods, with a rise in vehicles and pedestrians being washed away in riverbeds during sudden downpours,” he said.
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