{"id":37306,"date":"2023-01-12T15:45:15","date_gmt":"2023-01-12T15:45:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/traditional-authorities-alert-communities-about-the-impending-efundja"},"modified":"2023-01-12T15:45:15","modified_gmt":"2023-01-12T15:45:15","slug":"traditional-authorities-alert-communities-about-the-impending-efundja","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/traditional-authorities-alert-communities-about-the-impending-efundja","title":{"rendered":"Traditional authorities alert communities about the impending efundja"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Namibia. <\/strong><\/span>BORDER residents in the Omusati and Ohangwena regions are on high alert following reports that the seasonal Efundja waters are only a few kilometres north of the Namibian border, flowing southwards in the Cuvelai oshana system from the southern Cunene province of Angola.<\/p>\n

Efundja has already flooded towns and villages in Angola, including the provincial capital Ondjiva, and was two days ago reported to have reached the area of Namacunde, scarcely ten kilometres from the border.<\/p>\n

However, oshanas in the Ohangwena Region that are considered the most important gateways of the efundja waters, namely Engela, Ouhongo, Ohaingu, Onalumono among others, are still dry and that is, apparently, what is slowing down efundja waters\u2019 southward flow.<\/p>\n

Sources in Ondjiva reported Wednesday that it was still raining continually and the volume of water in the oshanas is raising rapidly.<\/p>\n

Senior Traditional Councilor Linda Mwaetako, the head of the Omungwelume District of the Omukwanyama Traditional Authority, said that the traditional authorities are aware of the impending efundja and have already alerted their respective communities.<\/p>\n

When efundja reaches Namibia, border constituencies of Okalongo and Etayi in Omusati, and Engela and Oshikango in Ohangwena, are among the first to be impacted.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have alerted the people to be ready. We are also consulting schools in the flood-prone areas regarding the safety of the learners. When efundja comes many learners won\u2019t be able to reach school. There will be a need to provide accommodation by erecting tents at schools and also urging owners of the homesteads closest to schools to offer accommodation.<\/p>\n

Our business community will also be roped in to provide food and other necessities,\u201d said Mwaetako.<\/p>\n

Efundja is considered a blessing because of its abundance of fish.<\/p>\n

\u201cEfundja is good news to me. I can\u2019t wait. My fishing instruments are ready,\u201d said Hamutenya Pedro, a resident of the Oshoopala informal settlement of Oshakati who said that he makes a fortune every time efundja reaches Namibia.<\/p>\n

That is, regardless of the fact his own house was flooded several times and had to be relocated to a temporary tent camp for several months.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, efundja is seen as an inconvenience because it temporarily disrupts the people\u2019s way of life, flooding residential and business areas, washing roads away and increasing the risk of drowning.<\/p>\n

Learners who normally take a shortcut to school by walking through an oshana, suddenly take a detour that doubles or even triples the distance to and from school.\r\n